THE 


INDIAN  RAGES 

OF  NORTH  AND  SOUTH 


COMPBISINd 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  PKINCIPAL  ABORIGINAL  RACES ; 
A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THEIR    NATIONAL    CUSTOMS,   MYTHOLOGY, 
AND  RELIGIOUS  CEREMONIES  ;  THE  HISTORY  OF  THEIR  MOST  POWER 
FUL  TRIBES,  AND  OF  THEIR  MOST  CELEBRATED  CHIEFS  AND  WARRIORS; 
THEIR    INTERCOURSE  AND  WARS  WITH  THE    EUROPEAN    SETTLERS  J 
AND  A  GREAT  VARIETY  OF  ANECDOTE  AND  DESCRIPTION,  ILLUS 
TRATIVE    OF    PERSONAL   AND    NATIONAL    CHARACTER. 

BY  CHARLES  DE  WOLF  BRO^NELL. 

INCLUDING  THE  LATE 

SIOUX  WAE  AND  INDIAN  MASSACRES  IN  MINNESOTA. 

WITH 

NUMEROUS  AND  DIVERSIFIED  COLORED  ILLUSTRATIONS, 
FEOM  OKJLGINAL  DESIGNS. 


,   Catttu, 

AMERICAN    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 

JONES  BROS.  &  CO.,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA.,  AND  CINCINNATI,  OHIO.  ^ 

R.  C.  TREAT,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

1865. 


ESI 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1864,  by 

HURLBUT,  SCKANTON  &  CO., 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Connecticut. 


PREFACE. 


FROM  the  size  of  this  volume,  as  corhpared  with  the  variety  and  ex 
tent  of  the  subjects  under  examination,  it  will  be  readily  perceived  that 
minuteness  of  detail  has  been  impossible. 

In  describing  the  adventures  and  proceedings  of  the  pioneers  in  the 
settlement  and  civilization  of  the  Western  Continent,  the  interesting 
nature  of  the  narrative  may  have  led  the  author,  in  some  instances,  away 
from  the  immediate  object  of  his  attention,  viz. :  the  manners,  peculiari 
ties,  and  history  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants.  He  trusts,  however,  that 
where  this  may  appear  to  be  the  case,  it  will  generally  be  found  to  have 
resulted  from  the  inseparable  manner  in  which  the  history  of  the  natives 
and  those  who  have  supplanted  them  is  interwoven. 

So  far  as  has  proved  convenient  or  practicable,  localities  will  be  found 
to  be  in  such  a  manner  pointed  out  or  referred  to,  that  the  reader  who 
is  ordinarily  well  acquainted  with  the  geography  of  the  country  will 
seldom  be  at  fault.  Upon  this  point,  the  opening  of  the  fifth  book  of 
"  The  True  Travels,  Adventures,  and  Observations  of  Captain  John 
Smith,"  is  worthy  the  attention  of  all  historical  writers.  It  runs  thus  : 

"  Before  we  present  you  the  matters  of  fact,  it  is  fit  to  offer  to  your 
view  the  stage  whereon  they  were  acted ;  for,  as  geography  without 
history  seemeth  a  carcass  without  motion,  so  history  without  geogra 
phy  wandereth  as  a  vagrant,  without  a  certain  habitation." 

The  works  which  have  been  carefully  examined  by  the  author  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  design,  and  from  which  most  of  the  facts  embodied 
in  this  outline  of  history  and  description  have  been  obtained,  are  the 
following :  — 

American  Antiquities  and  Researches  into  <  The  Natural  History  of  Man ;  by  James 

the  Origin  and  History  of  the  Red  Race  ;  ]      Cowles  Pritchard. 

by  Alexander  W.  Bradford.  i  Letters  and  Notes   on  the  Manners,  Cus- 

The  Biography  and  History  of  the  Indians  (      toms,  and  Condition  of  the  North  Amer- 

of  North  America  ;  by  Samuel  G.  Drake.  \      ican  Indians  ;  by  George  Catlin. 


6 


PREFACE. 


The  History,  Condition,  and  Prospects  of 
the  Indian  Tribes  of  the  United  States  ; 
by  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  LL.  D. 

The  United  States  Exploring  Expedition  ; 
by  Commander  Charles  Wilkes. 

Indian  Biography  ;  by  B.  B.  Thacher. 

Mclntosh's  Book  of  the  Indians. 

Travels  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Carver  through 
the  Interior  of  North  America,  in  1776- 
7-8. 

Indian  Wars  of  the  United  States ;  by 
William  V.  Moore. 

The  History  of  Hie  Conquest  of  Mexico  ; 
from  the  Spanish  of  Don  Antonio  De 
Solis. 

The  Conquest  of  Mexico  ;  by  Bernal  Diaz 
del  Castillo,  Regidor  of  the  city  of  Gua 
temala,  written  in  1568. 

Prescott's  Conquest  of  Mexico. 

Conquest  of  Mexico  and  Peru  ;  Harper's 
series  of  Tales  from  American  History. 

Robertson's  History  of  America. 

The  Invasion  and  Conquest  of  Florida, 
under  Hernando  de  Soto,  written  by  a 
gentleman  of  the  town  of  Elvas. 

Irving's  Conquest  of  Florida. 

The  Territory  of  Florida  ;  by  John  Lee 
Williams. 

The  True  Travels,  Adventures,  and  Obser 
vations  of  Captain  John  Smith  :  from 
the  London  edition  of  1629. 

The  Life  of  Captain  John  Smith  ;  by  W.  G. 
Simms. 

The  History  of  the  Indians  of  Connecticut ; 
by  John  W.  De  Forrest. 

Baylie's  Memoirs  of  Plymouth  Colony. 

Barber's  Historical  Collections,  in  Massa 
chusetts  and  Connecticut. 

The  Rev.  William  Hubbard's  Narrative  of 
the  Indian  Wars  in  Ne\v  England  ;  writ 
ten  in  1775. 

The  History  of  Philip's  War;  by  Thomas 
Church,  a  son  of  Capt.  Benjamin  Church. 

New  England's  Memorial  ;  by  Nathaniel 
Morton,  published  in  1669. 

The  Publications  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society,  especially  those  re 
lating  to  the  Early  Settlements  in  New 
England,  including,  among  other  docu 
ments,  the  Relations  of  G.  Mourt  and  E. 
Winslow  concerning  the  Pilgrims  at 
Plymouth  ;  Letters  and  Writings  of  Rog 
er  Williams  ;  Gookin's  Historical  Col 
lections,  <fcc.,  &c. 


:  Schoolcraft's  Notes  on  the  Iroquois. 

\  Stone's  Life  of  Jos.  Brant— Thayendanegea. 

Memoirs  of  William  Penn  j  by  Thomas 
Clarkson. 

Heckewelder's  Narrative  of  the  Mission  of 
the  United  Brethren  among  the  Dela 
ware  and  Mohegan  Indians. 

The  Life  of  William  Henry  Harrison,  with 
a  History  of  the  Wars  with  the  British 
and  Indians  on  our  North-western  Fron 
tiers. 

The  Adventures  of  Daniel  Boone ;  by  the 
author  of  Uncle  Philip's  Conversations. 

The  History  of  the  American  Indians  ;  by 
James  Adair,  for  forty  years  a  resident 
and  trader  among  them. 

Cobbett's  Life  of  Andrew  Jackson. 

The  History  of  Georgia  ;  by  Capt.  Hugh 
McCall. 

The  Adventures  of  Capt.  Bonneville  in  the 
Far  West,  and  among  the  Rocky  Moun 
tains  ;  by  Washington  Irving. 

Cox's  Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River. 

Barrow's  Voyages  of  Discovery  and  Re 
search  within  the  Arctic  Regions. 

Back's  Narrative  of  the  Arctic  Land  Expe 
dition. 

Greenland,  the  Adjacent  Seas,  and  the 
North-west  Passage;  by  Bernard  O'Reilly. 

Parry's  Journal  of  a  second  voyage  for  the 
Discovery  of  a  North-west  Passage. 

Mackenzie's  Inland  Expedition  to  the  Arc 
tic  Ocean. 

Purchas,  his  Pilgrimage. 

The  Modern  Traveller  ;  by  Josiah  Conder  ; 
Articles  on  South  America. 

Spanish  America  ;  by  R.  H.  Bonnycastle. 

Irving's  Life  of  Columbus. 

Indian  Tribes  of  Guiana  ;  by  Rev.  W.  H. 
Brett. 

Alexander  de  Humboldt's  Travels  in  South 
America. 

Prescott's  Conquest  of  Peru. 

Travels  in  Peru  ;  by  Dr.  J.  J.  Von  Tschudi, 
translated  from  the  German  by  Thom- 
asina  Ross. 

The  Geographical,  Natural,  and  Civil  His 
tory  of  Chili  ;  by  Abbe  don  J.  Ignatius 
Molina  ;  translated  from  the  original 
Italian  by  an  American  Gentleman. 

John  Mawe's  Travels  in  the  Interior  of 
Brazil. 

Head's  Journey  to  the  Pampas  and  the 
Andes. 


CONTENTS. 


GENERAL    CHARACTERISTICS.  PAGE. 

CHAPTER  I.  Origin  of  the  North  American  Indians.  —  Some  of  their  General  Cus 
toms  and  Peculiarities, 15 

CHAPTER  II.  Religion  of  the  Indians.  — Their  Weapons  and  System  of  Warfare. 
—  Their  Lodgings,  Dress,  Ornaments,  &.C., 31 

AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES. 

CHAPTER  I.    United  States  Territory,  &c., 42 

CHAPTER  II.     Antiquities  of  Mexico,  &c., 50 

CHAPTER  III.     Antiquities  of  South  America, 55 

THE  ABORIGINES  OF  MEXICO. 

CHAPTER  I.    General  Remarks.  — Expedition  of  Giljalva.  —  Hernando  Cortez,....    60 

CHAPTER  II.  Battles  with  the  Natives.  —  Conciliatory  Intercourse.  —  Donna  Ma 
rina,  73 

CHAPTER  III.  Communications  with  the  Mexican  Emperor.  —  The  Zempoallans 
and  Quiavistlans, 78 

CHAPTER  IV.  The  March  to  Tlascala.  —  Occupation  of  the  City.  —  Great  Massa 
cre  at  Cholula.  —  Entrance  into  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  Interview  with  Monte- 
zuma.  —  Description  of  the  Temple,  &c., 87 

CHAPTER  V.  Seizure  and  Imprisonment  of  Montezuma.  —  Execution  of  Qualpo- 
poca  and  his  Companions.  —  Ominous  Prospects.  —  Expedition  of  Pamphilo  de 
Narvaez.  —  Success  of  Cortez  against  him.  —  Return  to  Mexico.  —  Outrage  by 
Alvarado,  and  Consequent  Troubles. — Death  of  Montezuma.  —  The  "  JVoche 
Tristc."  —  Battle  of  Obtumba,  and  Arrival  at  Tlascala, 97 

CHAPTER  VI.  Preparations  for  the  Attack  on  the  City  of  Mexico. Building  and 

Transportation  of  Brigantines.  — Siege  laid  to  the  City.  —  Assault  by  the  Span 
iards,  and  their  Repulse.  —Sacrifice  of  Prisoners.  —Capture  of  Guatimozin.— 
Conquest  of  the  Capital, 106 

CHAPTER  VII.  Rebuilding  of  the  City. —Extension  of  Spanish  Powers.  — The 
March  to  Honduras.  —  Execution  of  Guatimozin. —Donna  Marina.  — Modern 
Mexico, H6 

THE  FLORIDA  INDIANS. 

CHAPTER  I.  Early  Expeditions  of  Spanish  Adventurers Ponce  de  Leon.  —  L. 

Velasquez  de  Ayllon.  —  Pamphilo  de  Narvaez.  — Fernando  de  Soto;  his  Land 
ing  and  Establishment  at  Tampa.  —  Story  of  John  Ortiz,  a  Spanish  Captive 
among  the  Indians, 120 

CHAPTER  II.  Progress  Northward.  —  Contests  with  the  Natives.  —  Vitachuco.  — 
Expedition  to  Cutifachiqui.  —  Departure  for  the  West, 126 

CHAPTER  III.  From  the  Conquest  by  De  Soto  to  the  Year  1818.  —  Missionary  Op 
erations  by  the  Spaniards. —  Moore's  Invasion  of  Florida.  —  Bowles. — Wars  of 
1812.  —  Defeat  of  the  Seminoles  by  General  Jackson, 134 

CHAPTER  IV.  Commencement  of  the  late  Florida  War. —Treaty  of  Moultrie 
Creek.  —  Treaty  of  Payne's  Landing.  —  Osceola.  —  Destruction  of  Dade's  Com 
mand.  —  Battle  of  the  Ouithlacoochie.  —  Conference  with  Indian  Chiefs  by  Gen 
eral  Gaines, 138 

(7) 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER  V.  Condition  of  East  Florida.  — Gen.  Scott's  Campaign.  — Garrison 
besieged  on  the  Ouithlacoochie.  —  Occurrences  during  the  Summer  of]836.  —  Ar 
rival  of  Creek  Allies.  — Col.  Lane's  Expedition  from  Tampa.—  Battle  of  the  Wa- 
hoo  Swamp.  —  Gen.  Jessup  appointed  to  the  Command  in  Florida, ]48 

CHAPTER  VI.    Pursuit  of  the  Serninoles  Southward. —  Encounter  on  the  Hatchee 
Lustee. —  Conference  and  Truce  with  the  Indians.  —  Renewal  of  the  Treaty  of 
Payne's  Landing.  —  Neglect  on  the  Part  of  the  Indians  to  comply  with  its  Provis 
ions.  —  Capture,  Surrender,  and  Treacherous  Seizure  of  various  Chiefs.  —  Death 
of  Osceola.  —  Col.  Taylor's  Campaign, 154 

CHAPTER  VII.  Various  Minor  Engagements.  —  Surrender  of  Large  Numbers  of 
Indians. —  Continuance  of  Depredations.  —  Bloodhounds  from  Cuba.  —  Attack 
upon  a  Company  of  Actors.  —  Seminole  Chiefs  brought  back  from  the  West  to 
report  their  Condition  to  their  Countrymen.  —  Col.  Hartley's  Expedition  to  the 
Everglades.  —  End  of  the  War.  —  Indians  shipped  West.  —  Numbers  still  remain 
ing  in  Florida, i;,9 

THE  INDIANS  Off  VIRGINIA. 

CHAPTER  I.  Expedition  of  Amidas  and  Barlow.  —  Of  Sir  Richard  Grenville.  —  Of 
Bartholomew  Gosnoll,  with  Capt.  Smith.  —  Settlement  at  Jamestown.  —  Visit  to 
Powhatan.  —  Improvidence  and  Difficulties  of  the  Colonists.  —  Exploration  of  the 
Chickahominy.  —  Smith  taken  Prisoner.  —  His  Treatment  by  the  Indians, 165 

CHAPTER  II.  Court  of  Powhatan.  —  Smith's  Preservation  by  Pocahontas.  —  Sup 
plies  by  the  Indians.  —  Newport's  Arrival.  —  Smith's  Expeditions  up  the  Chesa 
peake,  176 

CHAPTER  III.  Coronation  of  Powhatan.  —  Smith's  Visit  to  Werowocomoco  for 
Supplies.  —  Treachery  of  Powhatan Smith  a  second  time  preserved  by  Poca 
hontas.  —  Visit  to  Pamunky.  —  Fight  with  the  King  of  Paspahegh.  —  Ascend 
ency  of  the  English 189 

CHAPTER  IV.  Distress  of  the  Colonies.  — Martin  and  West's  Settlements.  —  Ar 
rival  of  Lord  De  .la  Warre.  —  Retaliations  upon  the  Natives.  —  Seizure  of  Poca 
hontas.  —  Her  Marriage.  —  Peace  with  the  Indians.—  Pocahontas  visits  England. 

—  Her  Death.  —  Death  of  Powhatan.  —  Pory's  Settlement, ]C9 

CHAPTER  V.    The  Virginia  Massacre  of  1622  and  of  1641  (or  1644).  —  Death of  Ope- 

chancanough, '. .  209 

CHAPTER  VI.  Smith's  Account  of  the  Numbers,  Appearance,  and  Habits  of  the 
Indians, 212 

NEW  ENGLAND  INDIANS. 

CHAPTER  I.  Conduct  of  the  Early  Voyagers.  —  Arrival  of  the  May -Flower.— 
Samoset.  —  Tisquantum.  —  Massasoit.  —  Weston's  Colony.  —  Caunbitant's  Con 
spiracy. —Trade  in  Fire-Arms.  —Thomas  Morton.  —  Death  of  Massasoit  and  Al 
exander,  and  Accession  of  Philip, 217 

CHAPTER  II.     The  Narragansetts.  —  The  Pequots.—  Murder  of  Stone  and  Oldham. 

—  Endicott's  Expedition.  — The  Pequot  War.  — Destruction  of  the  Pequot  Fort. 

—  The  Tribe  dispersed  and  subdued, 233 

CHAPTER  III.     Quarrel  between   the  Narragansetts  and  Mohegans.  —  Uncas  and 

Miantonimo.  —  The  Mohegan  Land  Controversy.  —  Subsequent  Condition  of  the 

Pequots  and  Mohegans, 243 

CHAPTER  IV.  The  Indians  furnished  with  Fire  Arms — Situation  of  the  Colo 
nists.  —  Philip's  Accession.  —  His  Treaties  with  the  Whites.  —  His  True  Plans. 

—  Emissaries  sent  to  Sonkonate.  —  Capt.  Benjamin  Church.  —  His  Interview  with 
Awoshonks. —  Murder  of  John  Sassamon, 252 

CHAPTER  V.  Attack  on  Swansey.  —  Collection  of  Troops.  — Fight  at  Miles' 
Bridge.  —  Philip  driven  from  the  Neck.  —  Church  at  Punkatese.  —  Destruction  of 
Brookfield,. .  2G3 


CONTENTS.  9 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER  VI.  Philip  moves  Westward.  —  Attacks  on  Hadley  and  Deerfield.— 
Goffe.  the  Regicide.  —  Destruction  of  Lathrop's  Command.  —  Assaults  on  Spring 
field  and  Hatfield.  —  Expedition  against  the  Narragansetts.  —  Outrageous  Cruelties 
in  their  Reduction. —  Philip  on  the  Hudson.  —  Destruction  of  Lancaster,  JMedfield, 
Seekouk,  Groton,  Warwick,  Marlborough,  &c. —  Canonchet  taken,  and  put  to 
Death.  —  Further  Indian  Ravages, 272 

CHAPTER  VII.  Philip's  Return  to  Pokanoket.  —  Major  Talcott's  Successes.— 
Church  commissioned  by  the  Court  at  Plymouth.  —  His  Interview  with  Awo- 
shonks  ;  with  the  Sogkonates  at  Sandwich.  —  His  Campaign  against  the  Indians. 

—  Philip  seen.  —  His  Wife  and  Son  taken.  —  Death  of  Weetamore,  Queen  of  Po- 
casset-  —  Deatlnof  Phili p, 282 

CHAPTER  VIII.  Pursuit  of  Annawon  and  his  Party.  —  Daring  Procedure  of  Cap 
tain  Church.  —  End  of  the  War,  and  Final  Disposal  of  Prisoners.  —  Summary  of 
the  Colonial  Losses,  293 

CHAPTER  IX.  The  Eastern  Indians.  —  Their  Friendly  Disposition.  —  Seizure  of 
those  implicated  in  Philip's  Conspiracy.  —  French  and  Indian  War  in  1689.  —  At 
tack  on  Cocheco.  —  Murder  of  Major  Waldron.  —  War  of  1702.  —  Church's  Last 
Campaign.  —  War  of  1722.  —  Capt.  John  Lovewell, 298 

THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS. 

CHAPTER  I.  General  Outlines  of  Character,  &c.  —  Impressions  of  the  Inhabitants 
of  New  England  respecting  the  troquois.  —  Garangula.  —  His  Speech  to  M.  de  la 
Barre, 303 

CHAPTER  II.  Iroquois  Tradition  relative  to  their  Former  History.  — A  Brief  Ac 
count  of  the  different  Tribes  belonging  to  the  Confederacy,  and  the  Manner  of 
their  Union.  — Incidents  of  Early  Warfare, .; 316 

CHAPTER  III.  Important  Characters  and  Events  of  the  Eighteenth  Century.— 
Brant.  —  Cresap's  War,  and  History  of  Logan, 327 

CHAPTER  IV.  History  of  Brant  continued.  —  Connection  of  the  Six  Nations  with 
the  War  of  the  American  Revolution, 336 

CHAPTER  V.    Continuation  of  Revolutionary  Incidents, 347 

CHAPTER  VI.  Gen.  Sullivan's  Campaign  against  the  Iroquois.  —  Subsequent  War 
like  Operations  of  the  Nations, 355 

CHAPTER  VII.  Condition  of  the  Six  Nations  subsequent  to  the  Revolution.  — 
Conclusion  of  Brant's  History. —Red-Jacket  and  Corn-Planter, 361 

CHAPTER  VIII.    Present  Condition  of  the  Six  Nations, 370 

PONTIAC'S  WAR. 
CHAPTER  I.    French  Influence  over  the  Indians.  — British    Occupation    of  the 

Western  Posts.  —  Pontiac,  and  his  Plans  for  exterminating  the  English, 376 

CHAPTER  II.    Siege  of  Detroit.  —  Battle  of  Bloody  Bridge, 382 

THE  DELA WARES,  SHAWANEES, 

AND   OTHER   TRIBES   OF   THE   MIDDLE   AND  WESTERN   STATES. 

CHAPTER  I.  The  Delawares.  —  William  Penn.  —  St.  Tammany. —  The  Mora 
vians.— The  Shawanees.  —  French  and  Indian  War.  —  Braddock's  Defeat.— 
Massacre  of  the  Cunestoga  Indians.  —  Daniel  Boone, 386 

CHAPTER  II.  Division  of  the  Delawares.  —  White-Eyes,  and  Pipe.  —  Indian  Con 
federacy  of  1781 —  Attack  on  Bryant's  Station,  and  Battle  near  the  Blue  Licks. 

—  Gen.  Clarke's  Expedition.  —  Disastrous  Campaign  of  Ilarmar  and  St.  Clair.  — 
Military  Operations  of  Gen.  Wayne.  —  Decisive  Battle  near  the  Maumee  Rapids, 
and  subsequent  Treaty  of  Peace, 401 

CHAPTER  III.  Condition  of  the  Indians  subsequent  to  the  Peace.  —  The  Prophet 
Elskwatawa.  —  Tecumseh.  —  His  Plans  and  Intrigues.  —  Gen.  Harrison's  Expedi 
tion  against  the  Prophet's  Town Defeat  of  the  Indians  at  Tippccanoe.  —  War 


10  CONTENTS. 

PAOX. 

of  1812.  —  Harrison's  Invasion  of  Canada.  — Battle  of  the  Thames,  and  Death  of 

.Tecumseh, 41G 

CHAPTER  IV.  Acquisition  and  Sale,  by  the  United  States,  of  Indian  Land  in  Illi 
nois.— Black-Hawk.—  The  Sacs  removed  west  of  the  Mississippi.  —  Return  of 
Black-Hawk  and  his  Followers.  —  Defeat  of  Major  Stillman.  —  The  Hostile  In 
dians  pursued  by  Atkinson  and  Dodge.  —  Their  Defeat  on  the  Bank  of  the  Missis 
sippi. —  Black-Hawk's  Surrender.  —  He  is  taken  to  Washington. — His  Subse 
quent  Career, 422 

INDIANS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  STATES. 

CHAPTER  I.  Early  Location,  Numbers,  Character,  &c.,  of  the  CataWbas  ;  of  the 
Upper  and  Lower  Cherokees  ;  of  the  Muscogees  or  Creeks  ;  of  the  Choctaws  j  of 
the  Chickasaws.  —  French  War  with  the  Natchez  and  Chickasaws, 431 

CHAPTER  II.  Colonization  of  Georgia.  —  Early  Intercourse  with  the  Natives. — 
Tomochichi.  —  Intrigues  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Bosomworth. — Cherokee  War  of 
1759.  — Attakullakulla  and  Occonostota.  — Murder  of  Indian  Hostages.  —  Col. 
Montgomery's  Expedition. —  Destruction  of  the  Eastern  Cherokee  Towns.  —  Bat 
tle  near  Etchoe. —  Capitulation  at  Fort  Loudon.  —  Indian  Treachery.  —  Cam 
paign  of  Col.  Grant,  and  Complete  Reduction  of  the  Cherokees, 440 

CHAPTER  III.  Capt.  Steuart's  Agency.  —  Disturbance  in  1767.  —  Visit  of  Tecum 
seh  to  the  Southern  Tribes.  —  Weatherford.  —  Sack  of  Fort  Mimms.  —  War  of 
1813.  — Gen.  Jackson's  Campaign.  —  Battles  on  the  Tallusahatchee,  at  Talladega, 
Autossee,  <fcc.  —  The  Hallibees.  —Defeat  of  the  Indians  at  Horse-Shoe  Bend.— 
End  of  the  War, 452 

CHAPTER  IV.  The  Removal  of  the  Cherokees  west  of  the  Mississippi.  —Present 
Location  and  Condition  of  the  other  Tribes  of  the  Southern  States, 461 

NORTHERN  RACES. 

CHAPTER  I.  The  Esquimaux  ;  their  Manners  and  Personal  Appearance.  —  Ac 
counts  of  Early  Voyagers.  —  Esquimaux  Habitations,  Food,  &c.  — The  Kaiak  or 
Canoe.  —  Sealing.  —  The  Reindeer.  —  Uses  of  the  Dog.  —  Patriarchal  Govern 
ment.  —  Effects  of  Foreign  Intercourse, 466 

CHAPTER  II.  The  Esquimaux  of  Melville  Peninsula.  —  Their  Stature  and  Cos 
tume.  —  Snow  Huts  and  their  Furniture.  —  Implements  for  Hunting  and  Sealing. 
—  Mental  Traits, 476 

CHAPTER  III.     The  Knisteneaux,  Chippewas,  &c 481 

VARIOUS  NATIONS  AND  TRIBES 
BETWEEN  THE   MISSISSIPPI  AND   THE   PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

CHAPTER  I.  The  Sioux,  or  Dahcotas,  and  other  Tribes  of  the  same  Race.  —  Clas 
sification.— The  Mandans.  —  Their  Number,  Situation,  Villages,  &c.  —  Their 
Cemeteries.  —  Affectionate  Remembrance  of  the  Dead, 489 

CHAPTER  II.  Personal  Appearance  and  Peculiarities  of  the  Mandans.  —  Their 
Hospitality  and  Urbanity.  —  Their  Cleanliness  of  Person.  —  Their  Dress.  —  Por 
traits  of  Mandan  Chiefs. —  Contrast  between  the  Wild  Tribes  and  those  of  the 
Frontier.  —  Mandan  Domestic  Usages. —  Games  and  Dances.  —  Training  of  the 
Youth.  —  The  Great  Annual  Religious  Ceremony.  —  The  Mandans  supposed  to  be 
of  Welsh  Descent.  —  Annihilation  of  the  Tribe  by  the  Small -pox, 496 

CHAPTER  III.  The  Sioux,  continued.  — Their  Mode  of  Life.  —  Maternal  Affec 
tion.  —  Exposure  of  the  Aged.  — The  famous  Quarry  of  Red  Pipe-stone.  —  Nature 
of  this  Material. — Indian  Superstitions  respecting  it.  —  The  Bison  or  Buffalo. — 
Horses  of  the  Indians.  —  Various  Modes  of  Hunting  the  Buffalo.  —  Wasteful  De 
struction  of  the  Herds, 513 

CHAPTER  IV.  Indians  of  the  Great  Western  Prairies.  —  Their  Summer  and  Win 
ter  Lodges.  —  The  Medicine-Bag.  — The  Crows  and  Blackfeet.  —  Races  Hostile  to 


CONTENTS.  11 

PAGE. 

the  latter  Tribe.  — Fortitude  of  a  Blackfoot  Warrior.  —  The  Crow  Chief  Arapoo- 
ish  and  his  Guest.  —  Indian  Conceptions  of  a  Perfect  Country.  —  !3tory  of  Lo- 
retto  and  his  Indian  Wife.  —  Adventures  of  Kosato,  a  Blackfoot  Warrior, 521 

CHAPTER  V.  Tribes  on  the  Columbia  and  its  Tributaries.  —  The  Nez-Perces.  — 
Their  Religious  Character.  —  The  Walla-wallas.  —  The  Chinooks.  —  Mode  of 
Flattening  the  Head.  —  The  Botoque.  —  Canoes  of  the  Tribes  on  the  Lower  Wa 
ters  of  the  Columbia.  —  Fishing.  —  Houses  of  the  Flat-heads, 533 

CHAPTER  VI.  The  Shoshonees,  or  Snake  Indians.  —  The  Shoshokoes,  or  Root- 
diggers. —  Extent  of  Country  occupied  by  the  Snakes. —  The  Camanches  ;  their 
Horsemanship,  Mode  of  Life,  Dwellings,  &c.—  The  Pawnee  Picts.  — The  Naba- 

jos  and  Moques, • 537 

INDIAN  POPULATION 

Of  the  United  States  and  Territories, 547 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


TBJBES  OF  THE  WEST  INDIES, 
AND  THE  NORTHERN   PROVINCES  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

CHAPTER  I.  Indians  first  seen  by  Columbus.  —  Landing  at  Guanahani.  —  Natives 
of  Cuba.  —  Embassy  to  the  Grand  Kahn.  —  Discovery  of  Hayti,  and  Intercourse 
with  the  Natives.  —  Guacanagari.  —  Wreck  of  the  Admiral's  Vessel.  —  Honesty 
and  Hospitality  of  the  Native  Inhabitants.  —  Trade  for  Gold.  —  Building  of  the 
Fortress  of  La  Navidad.  —  Departure  of  the  Nina. —  The  Ciguayans.  ^-  Disorders 
and  Destruction  of  the  Garrison  at  La  Navidad.  —  Fort  of  St.  Thomas, 543 

CHAPTER  II.  Indians  of  Jamaic  i.  —  Cruise  along  the  Southern  Coast  of  Cuba.  — 
Speech  of  an  Indian  Counsellor.  —  Difficulties  at  the  Fortress  of  St.  Thomas.  —  Ita 
Siege  by  Caonabo.  —  Efforts  of  Columbus  to  restore  Order.  — Great  Rising  of  the 
Indians  of  Hispaniola.— Their  Defeat.  —  Tribute  imposed.  —  Visit  of  Bartholo 
mew  to  Xaraguay.  —  Further  Insurrection  in  the  Vega.  —  Bobadilla  as  Viceroy.  — 
Cruelties  practised  on  the  Indians.  —Las  Casas.  —  Incidents  related  by  Purchas. 

—  Administration  of  Ovando.  —  Expedition   against  Xaraguay.  —  Reduction  of 
Higuey, 559 

CHAPTER  III.  The  Caribs.  —  Their  Islands  first  visited  by  Columbus.  — Origin 
and  Location  of  the  Race.  —  Tokens  of  Cannibalism  seen  by  the  Spaniards.  — 
Cruise  among  the  Islands.  —Demeanor  of  Prisoners  taken.  —  Return  to  Hispan 
iola.  —  Destruction  of  the  Fortress  at  that  Island.  — Capture  of  Caonabo.  —  His 
Death.  —  Expulsion  of  the  Natives  from  the  Caribbee  Islands, 570 

CHAPTER  IV.  Indians  of  Guiana  and  Venezuela.  — Classification.  — The  Ara- 
waks.  — First  seen  by  Columbus. —  Entry  into  the  Gulf  of  Paria.  — Hospitality  of 
the  Natives.  —  Raleigh's  Visit  to  the  Orinoco.  —  Early  Wars  of  the  Arawaks.— 
Victory  over  the  Caribs.  —  Maroon  Negroes.  —  Present  Condition  of  the  Arawaks. 

—  Other  Tribes  of  the  Interior.  —  General  Description, 570 

THE  ABORIGINES  OP  PERU. 

CHAPTER  I.  Physical  Peculiarities  of  tlie  Quichuas,  Aymaras,  Atacamas,  and 
Changes.  —  Nature  of  the  Country.  —  Peruvian  Works  of  Art,  &c.  —  First  Rumors 
of  the  Wealth  of  the  Country.  — Expedition  of  Pascual  de  Andagoya.  —  Fran- 
eisco  Pizarro.  —His  First  Voyage  of  Discovery.  —  Almagro's  Voyage.  —  Contract 


12  CONTENTS. 

PAGB. 

of  Pizarro,  Almagro,  and  Luque.  —  The  Second  Expedition.  —  Pizarro  and  his 
Companions  upon  the  Isle  of  Gorgona.  —  Continuation  of  the  Voyage.  —  Return 
to  Panama, 586 

CHAPTER  II.  Mythological  Traditions.  —  Topa  Inca  Yupanchi,and  his  Son  Huay- 
na  Capac.  —  The  Peruvian  Capital.  —  Religious  System.  —  Government.  —  Agra 
rian  Law.— Llamas.  — Public  Records.  — The  "Qwipw."  —  Agriculture.  —  Mar 
riages.—  Warlike  Policy  of  the  Incas.  —  The  Great  Roads.  —  Contentment  of  the 
Natives.  —  Division  of  the  Empire.  —  Huascar  and  Atahuallpa.  —  Contest  for  Su 
premacy,  60 1 

CHAPTER  III.  Pizarro's  Visit  to  Spain,  and  Application  to  the  Emperor.  —  His 
Four  Brothers.  —  Funds  procured  for  a  New  Expedition  to  Peru.  —  Vessels  again 
fitted  out  at  Panama.  —  Landing  of  the  Spaniards  upon  the  Peruvian  Coast.— 
Plunder  at  Coaque.  —  The  March  towards  Tumbez.  —  Battles  on  the  Isle  of  Puna. 

—  Tumbez  deserted.—  Settlement  of  San  Miguel.  —  March  into  the  Interior.— 
Passage  of  the  Andes.  —  Messages  from  Atahuallpa.  —  Entry  into  Caxamalca,.. . .  613 

CHAPTER  IV.  First  Interview  with  the  Inca.  —  Plans  for  his  Capture.  —  Entry  of 
of  Atahuallpa  into  Caxamalca.  —  Address  of  the  Chaplain.  — Attack  by  the  Span 
iards. —  Fearful  Massacre  of  the  Natives,  and  Seizure  of  the  Inca. —  Prisoners 
and  Plunder  obtained.  —  The  Promised  Ransom.  — Hernando  Pizarro's  Visit  to 
Pachacamaca.  —  Challcuchima.  —  Messengers  sent  to  Cuzco.  —  Immense  Treasure 
collected  at  Caxamalca.  —  Trial  and  Murder  of  Atahuallpa, 621 

CHAPTER  V.  March  towards  Cuzco.  —  Opposition  of  the  Natives.  —  Death  of 
Toparca,  and  Murder  of  Challcuchima.  —  Manco  Capac.  —  Entry  into  the  Capital. 

—  Booty  obtained.  — Escape  of  Manco,  and  General  Insurrection.  —  Siege  of  Cuzco. 

—  Reverses  of  the  Spaniards.  —  Civil  Wars.  —  Further  Hostilities  of  Manco  Ca 
pac. —  Cruel   Treatment  of  the  Natives.  —  Death  of  Manco  Capac. — Reforms 
under  Pedro  de  la  Gasca.  —  Tupac  Amaru.  —  Insurrection  of  1781.  —  Present  Con 
dition  of  the  Peruvian  Indians, 635 

THE  AHATJCANIAUT  RACE. 

CHAPTER  I.  Their  Location,  Appearance,  &c.  —  Purchas'  Description  of  Chili. — 
Division  of  the  Tribes.  —  Peruvian  Conquests.  —  Agriculture,  Arts,  &c.,  among  the 
Natives. —  Almagro's  Invasion.  —  Expedition  of  Pedro  de  Valdivia.  —  Founding 
of  St.  Jago.  —  Battles  with  the  Mapochinians.  —  Destruction  of  Spanish  Miners. 

—  Peace  with  the  Promaucians, 646 

CHAPTER  II.    The  Araucanians  Proper.  —  Character  and  Habits  of  the  Tribe.  — 

Houses  and  Dress.  —  Sectional  Divisions  and  Government.  —  System  of  Warfare. 

—  Courage  and  Military  Skill.  —Religious  Belief  and  Superstitions.—  Patriotism 
and  Public  Spirit  of  the  Natives.  —  Molina's  Eulogium, 651 

CHAPTER  III.  Army  sent  to  oppose  the  Progress  of  the  Spaniards.  —  Battle  on  the 
Adalien.  —  Lincoyan's  Campaign.  —  Valclivia's  March  Southward.  —  Foundation 
of  Valdivia,  and  Establishment  of  Forts  in  the  Araucanian  Territory.  —  The  Na 
tives  roused  by  Colocolo.  —  Caupolican  made  Toqui.  —  Ilis  Successes.  —  Great 
Victory  over  the  Spaniards.  —  DeatJi  of  Valdivia.  —  Invasion  of  Arauco  by  Villa- 
grani. —  His  Defeat.  —  Destruction  of  Conception. —  Lautaro's  Fatal  Expedition 
against  Santiago, 6,57 

CiiAPTr-R  IV.  Don  Garcia  de  Mendoza.  —  His  Establishment  at  Quiriqiiina. — 
Fo't  of  Mount  Pinto  attacked  by  Caupolican.  —  Don  Garcia's  Invasion  of  Arauco. 

—  ITis  Cruelties. —  Expedition  to  Chiloe.  —  Artful  Management  of  the  Cunches. 

—  Seizure  and  Cruel   Death  of  Caupolican.  —  Subsequent  Successes  of  the  Hjian- 
i;irds.  -—  Retreat  of  the  Natives  to  the   Marshes   of  Lumaco.  —  Indian  Victory  at 
Mount  Mnriguenu.  —  General  Summary  of  Succeeding  Hostilities, 666 

CHAPTER.  V.  Viceroyalty  of  Martin  Loyola.  —  Paillamachu.  —  Renewal  of  the 
War.  —  Loyola  slain.  —  General  Insurrection  of  the  Natives.  —  The  Spaniards 
driven  from  the  Country  South  of  the  Bio-Bio. —  Bloody  Campaigns  under  several 


CONTENTS.  13 

PAQB. 

successive  Toquis.  —  Peace  of  1640.  —  Ten  Years'  War.  —  Subsequent  Treaties 
and  Hostilities.  — Present  Position  of  the  Araucanians, 674 

INDIAN  THIBES  OP  BRAZIL. 

CHAPTER  I.  Physical  Characteristics.  —  Pinzon's  Discoveries.  —  Landing  of  Pedro 
Alvarez  Cabral  upon  the  Brazilian  Coast.  —  Expedition  under  Vespucius.  —  Can 
nibalism.  —  Colonization  of  the  Country,  and  Wars  with  the  Natives Fate  of 

Juan  de  Solis,  at  the  Estuary  of  La  Plata.  —  Settlement  of  Bahia  de  Tudos  San 
tos  by  Diogo  Alvarez.  —  The  Jesuits.  —  Particulars  of  the  Cannibal  Propensities 
of  the  Natives.  —The  Botocudos, 681 

CHAPTER  II.  Success  of  the  Portuguese  against  the  Natives.  — Their  Contests 
with  Settlers  from  other  Countries  of  Europe.  —  English  Colony  at  Paraiba. — 
Expulsion  of  Guarani  Tribes  from  their  Country  on  La  Plata.  —  Division  of  Bra 
zilian  Nations.  —  Daily  Routine  of  Indian  Life  in  the  Forests. — Reflections, 691 

THE  PAMPAS  INDIANS. 

Their  Horsemanship. — Their  Mode  of  Life.  —  Sir  Francis  Head's  Description  of 
the  Race.  —  Female  Captives  among  the  Indians.  —  Trading  Visits  to  European 
Settlements.  —  Classification  of  Tribes.  —  CLange  in  their  Condition  by  the  Intro 
duction  of  European  Domestic  Animals, 696 

THE   PATAG-ONIANS. 

Early  Exaggerated  Reports  concerning  them.  —  Race  to  which  they  belong.  —  Na 
ture  of  the  Country.  —  Terra  del  Fuego.  —  General  Description  and  Classification 
of  the  Inhabitants. — Captain  Filzroy's  Narrative. —  Physical  Conformation  of 
the  Natives.  —  Scantiness  of  their  Clothing.  — Their  Huts,  Resources  for  Food, 
etc.  — Fuegians  carried  to  England  by  Fitzroy.  —  Attempt  at  the  Introduction  of 
Agriculture'  on  the  Island.  —  Pecherais  described  in  Wilkes'  Narrative  of  the 
United  States'  Exploring  Expedition, 701 

THE  SIOUX  MA.S3ACRE. 

CHAPTER  I.  Condition  of  the  Tribes  prerious  to  the  Outbreak.— A  Warlike  Tribe.— 
Civilization  Commenced. — Churchos  and  Schools. — Causes  of  the  Outbreak. — Injus 
tice  of  our  Government. — Beginning  of  the  Massacre. — Inhabitants  calling  for  Help. — 
Little  Crow. — Attack  on  the  Lower  Agency. — Escape  of  Rev.  Mr.  Ilindman. — A 
Noble  Ferryman. — Cut  Nose. — Twenty-five  Massacred. — Heart-rending  Sight. — 
Flight  and  Death  of  Dr.  Humphreys. — Whole  Family  Burned. — Destruction  of  Capt. 
Marsh's  Company 717 

CHAPTEK  II.  Escape  of  Rev.  Mr.  Riggs  and  Dr.  Williamson.— Clark,  Paul  and  Enos, 
faithful  Indians,  aiding  Rig<?s  and  Williamson  in  their  escape.— Arrival  at  Birch 
Oooley. — burning  Women  Alive. — Oesti-rtction  of  Lower  Agency. — Attack  on  New 
Ulm. — Boardman  and  Jud^e  Fhnderan  defend  New  Ulrn. — Attack  on  Fort  Ridge- 
ley. — Defended  by  Sergeant  Jones. — Indians  dispersed  by  Shells. — Terrible  Thnnder 
Storm.— Little  Crow  renewing  the  Attack. — Slaughtering  of  Men,  Women  and  Chil 
dren. — Little  Crow  re-enforced,  making  the  second  attack. — Evacuation  of  New  Ulm. 

CHAPTER  III.  Col.  Sibley  Marches  to  the  Relief  of  Fort  Ridgely  and  New  Ulm.—  730 
Ficrht  at  Birch  Coolcy. — Crow  asks  for  Peace. — Deacon  Paul  pleads  with  his  Tribe. — 
Col.  Sibley  advances  to  the  Yellow  Medicines. — Defeats  the  Indians. — Prisoners 
rescued. — (Jamp  release— GuiUy  Indians. — Marvellous  Esc:ipj3. — Women  of  New 
Ulm  attack  llv  Prisoners. — Their  Examination. — Thirty-eight  Tried  and  Executed. — 
Their  Behavior  Mounting  the  Scaffold 

CHAPTER  IV.    Bishop  Whipple  on  tho  Outbreak  and  the  Nation's  Duty  to  the  Red  742 
Men.— Fresh  Manceuvers  in  the  Spring.— Death  of  Little  Crow.— Sibley's  Expedi 
tion  into  Dacotab.— Defeat  of  the  Indians  at  Big  Mound.— Cavalry  Charge  averted 
by  a  Stroke  of  Li^htninc'. — Fi^ht  at  Buffalo  Lake. — The  Army  reaches  the  Missouri. — 
Escape  of  the  Indians.— Return  of  the  Expedition.— Final  Results 754 


INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

GENEKAL  CHARACTERISTICS/ 

_____  + 

CHAPTER  I. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE    NORTH    AMERICAN  INDIANS. —  SOME  OP  THEIR  GEN 
ERAL  CUSTOMS  AND  PECULIARITIES. 

Olrj  trip  0uAAwv  ytvef],  roirjde  icat  avdp&v. 

"Like  leaves  on  trees  the  race  of  man  is  found, 
Now  green  in  youth,  now  withering  on  the  ground ; 
Another  race  the  following  spring  supplies."  —  ILIAD. 

IT  were  far  easier  to  foretell  the  period  when  the  extinc 
tion  of  the  Indian  races  must  be  consummated,  and  to  ex 
plain  the  causes  that  must  sooner  or  later  terminate  their 
national  existence,  than  to  trace  back  their  early  history. 

Even  a  succinct  account  of  the  various  theories,  with 
the  arguments  upon  which  they  are  based,  as  to  the  prob 
able  sources  whence  the  early  inhabitants  of  the  Western 
hemisphere  derived  their  origin,  would  furnish  matter  for 
a  volume  :  we  shall  therefore  do  little  more  than  allude 
to  the  different  hypotheses  upon  the  subject,  leaving  the 
reader  to  follow  up  the  inquiry,  if  his  inclination  so  move 
him,  by  the  examination  of  works  especially  devoted  to 
the  discussion  of  this  vexed  question. 

The  want  of  a  written  language  among  the  aborigines 
of  America ;  the  blindness  of  the  system  of  hieroglyphics 
used  by  the  more  advanced  nations  of  the  continent ;  and 
the  wild  discrepancies  in  their  fanciful  oral  traditions,  leave 
us  little  hope  of  satisfactorily  elucidating  the  mystery  by 

(15) 


16  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

any  direct  information  obtained  from  the  people  them 
selves.  Analogies  in  physical  conformation,  customs,  archi 
tecture,  language,  and  religion,  must  form  our  principal 
clew  in  deciding  the  question  of  their  origin. 

That  America  was  first  peopled  by  wanderers  from  the 
Old$AVorld  seems  to  be  a  conclusion  to  which  most  of  those 
who  have  treated  on  the  subject  have  arrived.  Exclusive 
of  the  supposed  necessity  for  maintaining  the  truth  of  Scrip 
tural  history  by  deducing  all  the  races  of  the  globe  from  a 
common  ancestry,  abundant  facilities  for  an  intentional  or 
casual  migration  have  been  pointed  out  by  geographers. 

The  numberless  isles  of  the  Pacific  offer  ready  resting- 
places  for  adventurous  or  bewildered  navigators,  and  might 
have  been  peopled  successively  by  wanderers  from  South 
eastern  Asia.  Some  of  the  natives  of  that  portion  of  the 
eastern  continent  possess  a  skill  in  nautical  affairs  which 
would  abundantly  qualify  them  for  voyages  as  hazardous 
as  any  to  "which  they  would  be  exposed  in  crossing  the 
Pacific  from  island  to  island  in  their  swift  proas.  The 
near  approach  of  the  two  grand  divisions  of  the  globe  at 
Behring's  Straits  presents  still  greater  facilities. for  a  pas 
sage  from  one  to  the  other,  when  the  waters  are  closed  by 
ice,  during  the  severe  northern  winter,  or  when  they  lie 
open,  affording  a  free  passage  for  canoes. 

That  the  north-eastern  portions  of  America  were  visited 
and  probably  peopled,  at  a  very  early  date,  by  adventurers 
from  the  north  of  Europe  seems  to  be  fully  established. 
Many  wild  and  improbable  legends  indeed  exist,  touching 
these  early  voyages,  and  we  can  sympathize  with  the  man 
ner  in  which  the  old  historian  of  Virginian  colonization 
dismisses  the  subject :  "  For  the  stories  of  Arthur,  Malgo, 
and  Brandon,  that  say  a  thousand  years  ago  they  were  in 
the  north  of  America,  or  the  friar  of  Linn,  that  by  his 
black  art  went  to  the  north  pole  in  the  year  1360.  In 
that  I  know  them  not.  Let  this  suffice." 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  17 

Modern  investigation  has  brought  to  light  abundant 
evidence  of  visits  by  the  Northmen  to  Greenland  and  the 
neighboring  American  coast,  at  the  close  of  the  tenth 
and  in  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  centuries,  and  it  is 
not  improbable  that  intercourse  had  subsisted  between  the 
two  countries  at  a  much  earlier  period.  The  marked  dif 
ference  between  the  Esquimaux  Indians  and  all  other 
tribes  of  the  Western  continent  points  plainly  to  a  separate 
ancestry.  We  shall  speak  more  at  large  upon  this  subject 
when  we  come  to  treat  of  the  natives  of  that  vast  and 
desolate  region  lying  between  the  Canadas  and  the  frozen 
seas  of  the  North. 

Vague  accounts  of  islands  or  continents  at  the  West  are 
found  in  the  works  of  many  early  writers.  The  Atlantis 
of  Plato,  the  Hesperides,  and  a  host  of  other  uncertain 
fables  have  been  tortured  by  ingenious  antiquaries  into 
proof  of  more  extensive  geographical  knowledge  than  is 
generally  attributed  to  the  ancients. 

Some  theorists  have  indefatigably  followed  up  the  idea 
that  we  are  to  search  for  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel  among 
the  red  men  of  America,  and  have  found  or  fancied  resem 
blances,  otherwise  unaccountable,  between  Indian  and  He 
brew  words,  ceremonies,  and  superstitions. 

Others  have  exhibited  equal  ingenuity  in  carrying  out 
a  comparison  between  the  Moors  of  Africa  and  the  Amer 
icans,  claiming  to  establish  a  near  affinity  in  character  and 
complexion  between  the  two  races.  They  suppose  the 
Moorish  immigrants  to  have  arrived  at  the  West  India 
islands,  or  the  eastern  coast  of  South  America,  and  thence 
to  have  spread  over  the  whole  continent. 

However  variant,  in  some  particulars,  the  different 
nations  of  America  may  appear,  there  are  peculiarities  of 
language  which  are  noticeable  throughout  the  continent, 
and  which  would  seem  to  prove  that  neither  of  these 
nations  has  subsisted  in  an  entirely  isolated  condition. 


18  INDIAN  KACES   OF   AMERICA. 

According  to  Humboldt,  "  In  America,  from  the  coun 
try  of  the  Esquimaux  to  the  banks  of  the  Orinoko,  and 
again,  from  these  torrid  banks  to  the  frozen  climate  of  the 
Straits  of  Magellan,  mother  tongues,  entirely  different  with 
regard  to  their  roots,  have,  if  we  may  use  the  expression, 
the  same  physiognomy.  Striking  analogies .  of  grammat 
ical  construction  have  been  recognized,  not  only  in  the 
more  perfect  languages,  —  as  that  of  the  Incas,  the  Aymara, 
the  Guarani,  the  Mexican,  and  the  Cora,  —  but  also  in  lan 
guages  extremely  rude.  Idioms,  the  roots  of  which  do 
not  resemble  each  other  more  than  the  roots  of  the  Scla- 
vonian  and  Biscayan,  have  resemblances  of  internal  mech 
anism  similar  to  those  which  are  found  in  the  Sanscrit,  the 
Persian,  the  Greek,  and  the  German  languages." 

Of  the  primary  roots  of  the  different  Indian  dialects, 
it  is  said  that  there  are  four  more  prominent  than  the  rest, 
and  which  can  be  traced  over  nearly  the  whole  continent. 
These  are  the  Karalit  or  Esquimaux,  the  Iroquois,  the 
Lenni  Lenape,  and  that  of  the  Cherokees,  Choctaws,  and 
other  tribes  of  the  South. 

The  great  body  of  the  American  aborigines,  notwith 
standing  the  country  over  which  they  are  distributed,  have 
many  features  of  physical  conformation  in  common.  The 
exceptions  to  this  general  truth,  exhibited  principally  in 
the  persons  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  in  certain  white  tribes 
at  the  West,  deserve  a  separate  consideration :  at  present, 
our  remarks  will  be  confined  to  the  red  men,  and  particu 
larly  to  those  of  the  present  United  States  and  territories. 

The  appellation  universally  bestowed  upon  this  people  is 
in  itself  a  strange  misnomer,  and  would  hardly  have  obtained 
so  generally,  had  not  the  error  in  which  it  originated  been 
one  which  early  voyagers  were  slow  to  acknowledge. 

The  Americans  have,  indeed,  usurped  the  name  of  those 
for  whom  they  were  so  long  mistaken,  and  whom  we  are 
now  reduced  to  distinguish  by  the  title  of  East  Indians. 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  19 

The  general  appearance  of  a  North  American  Indian 
can  be  given  in  few  words ;  the  resemblance  between  those 
of  different  tribes  —  with  the  exceptions  to  which  we  have 
referred  —  being  full  as  close  as  between  different  nations 
of  either  of  the  great  families  into  which  the  human  race 
has  been  arbitrarily  divided.  They  are  about  of  the  aver 
age  height  which  man  attains  when  his  form  is  not  cramped 
by  premature  or  excessive  labor ;  but  their  erect  posture 
and  slender  figure  give  them  the  appearance  of  a  tall  race. 
Their  limbs  are  well  formed,  but  calculated  rather  for  agility 
than  strength,  in  which  they  rarely  equal  the  more  vigorous 
of  European  nations.  They  generally  have  small  feet. 

The  most  distinguishing  peculiarities  of  the  race  are, 
the  reddish  or  copper  color  of  the  skin,  the  prominence 
of  the  cheek  bone,  and  the  color  and  quality  of  the  hair. 
This  is  not  absolutely  straight,  but  somewhat  wavy,  and 
has  not  inaptly  been  compared  to  the  mane  of  the  horse 
—  less  from  its  coarseness  than  from  its  glossy  hue  and  the 
manner  in  which  it  hangs.  Their  eyes  are  universally 
dark.  The  women  are  rather  short,  with  broader  faces, 
and  a  greater  tendency  to  obesity,  than  the  men ;  but  many 
of  them  possess  a  symmetrical  figure,  with  an  agreeable 
and  attractive  countenance. 

It  was  formerly  quite  a  general  impression  that  the 
Indians  were  destitute  of  beards.  This  error  resulted 
from  the  almost  universal  custom  prevalent  among  them 
of  eradicating  what  they  esteemed  a  deformity.  Tweezers, 
made  of  wood  or  muscle  shells,  served  to  pluck  out  the 
hairs  as  soon  as  they  appeared ;  and,  after  intercourse  with 
the  whites  commenced,  a  coil  of  spiral  wire  was  applied  to 
the  same  use.  It  was  esteemed  greatly  becoming  among 
the  men  to  carry  this  operation  still  farther,  and  to  lay 
bare  the  whole  head,  with  the  exception  of  a  top-knot, 
or  ridge  like  the  comb  of  a  cock,  in  which  feathers  or  por 
cupine  quills  were  fantastically  interwoven. 
2 


20  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Of  the  hideous  custom  of  flattening  the  head,  and  the 
means  by  which  it  was  accomplished,  we  shall  speak 
when  describing  the  tribes  among  whom  it  was  practised, 

No  nations  on  the  Eastern  continent  approach  so  nearly  to 
the  American  Indians,  in  bodily  conformation,  as  do  certain 
tribes  of  Tartars.  A  similarity  in  habits  of  life,  in  dress, 
festivals,  and  games,  is  also  observable  between  the  two 
nations.  This,  combined  with  the  proximity  of  their  coun 
tries,  and  the  ease  with  which  a  passage  could  be  effected, 
would  seem  to  afford  a  rational  presumption  as  to  the  direct 
origin  of  no  small  portion  of  the  red  tribes  of  North  Amer 
ica.  Who  can  undertake  to  decide,  however,  as  to  what 
admixture  of  races  has  here  taken  place,  or  how  often 
fresh  arrivals,  from  different  portions  of  Eastern  Asia, 
have  given  rise  to  new  colonies,  or  destroyed,  by  amal 
gamation,  the  distinctive  characteristics  of  the  earlier  peo 
ple  1  Above  all,  can  we  account  for  the  wonderful  remains 
of  antiquity  described  in  another  chapter,  by  referring 
them  to  the  same  races  as  were  found  inhabiting  these 
wilds  when  the  white  man  first  ventured  to  explore  them  1 

The  difficulty  of  the  subject  is  sufficiently  manifest  from 
the  contradictory  conclusions  drawn  by  laborious  but  dog 
matic  antiquaries  ;  and  still  more  by  the  doubt  and  uncer 
tainty  in  which  more  candid  but  equally  diligent  laborers 
in  the  same  field  have  confessed  their  researches  to  have 
resulted. 

There  have  not  been  wanting  those  who  have  main 
tained  the  theory  that  the  Indians  were  indigenous  to 
America.  Some  who  have  adopted  this  idea  consider  that" 
it  involves  the  doctrine  of  a  separate  creation,  while  others, 
that  they  might  not  discard  the  ordinarily  received  opin 
ion  that  all  mankind  have  sprung  from  a  single  pair,  place 
the  seat  of  paradise  somewhere  upon  the  Western  con 
tinent,  and  consider  the  Eastern  nations  as  descendants  of 
emigrants  from  America. 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  21 

However  interesting  these  speculations  may  prove  to 
the  antiquary,  they  must  appear  simply  wearisome  to  the 
reader  who  is  not  willing  to  give  the  subject  a  full  inves 
tigation.  The  two  hemispheres  remained  sundered  for  so 
long  a  period,  that  the  history  of  their  former  connection  by 
intercourse  of  their  respective  inhabitants  is  now  reduced 
to  little  more  than  speculation ;  and  we  will  pass  to  mat 
ters  of  which  we  can  speak  with  certainty,  and  which 
appeal  more  closely  to  our  sympathies,  and  attract  our 
attention  with  more  lively  interest  than  such  groping  amid 
the  dim  relics  of  antiquity. 


A  knowledge  of  the  habits  and  peculiarities  of  the  In 
dians  can  be  acquired  in  the  most  pleasing  manner  by  the 
perusal  of  their  history,  interspersed  as  it  is  with  the  quaint 
descriptions  of  old  chroniclers,  who  wrote  when  the  events 
and  scenes  were  vividly  impressed  upon  their  minds,  and 
before  modern  refinements  had  done  away  with  that  direct 
ness  of  expression  which  marks  their  narratives. 

Such  details  make,  moreover,  a  far  stronger  impression 
upon  the  memory  than  can  be  effected  by  a  series  of  dry 
generalities.  We  shall  therefore  refer  the  reader  to  the 
historical  portion  of  this  work  for  most  of  the  information 
which  we  shall  attempt  to  convey. 

In  this,  and  in  the  ensuing  chapter,  we  may  frequently 
speak  of  usages  and  characteristics,  as  belonging  to  a  past 
age,  which  are  still  to  be  observed  among  the  more  remote 
Western  tribes.  The  difficulty  of  always  drawing  the 
distinction  in  a  series  of  such  general  remarks  as  are  here 
submitted,  must  form  our  excuse  for  such  seeming  anach 
ronisms. 

We  notice  in  the  Indian  a  remarkable  gravity  and 
innate  dignity  which  leads  him  to  avoid,  with  the  most 


22  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

scrupulous  care,  all  involuntary  or  impulsive  expression 
of  his  feelings.  This  is  not  confined  to  the  occasions 
upon  which  he  calls  forth  his  powers  of  endurance  in  suf 
fering  the  most  cruel  torments  with  apparent  insensibility 
or  even  with  exultation,  but  enters  into  all  the  acts  of  his 
daily  life.  He  betrays  no  unseemly  curiosity  or  impa 
tience  under  circumstances  that  would  naturally  excite 
both  in  the  highest  degree.  Has  he  been  long  absent  from 
home  on  a  war-path,  or  on  a  visit  to  cities  of  the  whites  ;  has 
he  learned  some  great  and  threatening  danger,  or  has  the 
intelligence  reached  him  of  the  death  of  those  whom  he 
most  values ;  his  conduct  and  method  of  communicating 
his  adventures  or  his  information,  are  governed  by  the  same 
deliberation  and  immobility. 

Returning  half  famished  from  an  unsuccessful  hunt,  he 
enters  his  wigwam,  and  sits  down  unquestioned,  showing 
no  symptom  of  impatience  for  food.  His  wife  prepares 
his  refreshment,  and  after  smoking  his  pipe,  and  satisfying 
his  hunger,  he  volunteers  an  account  of  his  experience. 
Catlin  gives  a  striking  description  of  the  meeting  between 
a  chief  named  Wi-jun-jon,  who  had  just  returned  from  an 
embassy  to  Washington,  and  his  family.  He  landed  from 
the  steamer  at  his  home  in  the  far  West,  "  with  a  com 
plete  suit  en  militaire,  a  colonel's  uniform  of  blue,  pre 
sented  to  him  by  the  president  of  tke  United  States,  with 
a  beaver  hat  and  feather,  with  epaulets  of  gold  —  with 
sash  and  belt,  and  broadsword  ;  with  high-heeled  boots  — 
with  a  keg  of  whiskey  under  his  arm,  and  a  blue  umbrella 
in  his  hand.  In  this  plight  and  metamorphose,  he  took 
his  position  on  the  bank  amongst  his  friends  —  his  wife 
and  other  relations  ;  not  one  of  whom  exhibited,  for  an 
half  hour  or  more,  the  least  symptoms  of  recognition, 
although  they  knew  well  wl'o  was  before  them."  The 
conduct  of  the  chief  was  of  the  same  character,  but,  half 
an  hour  afterwards,  "  a  gradual,  but  cold  and  exceedingly 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  23 

formal  recognition  began  to  take  place,"  after  which,  all 
went  on  as  if  he  had  never  been  absent.  —  This  strange 
demeanor  does  not,  by  any  means,  result  from  real  indif 
ference,  but  from  the  supposed  propriety  of  suppressing 
any  outbreak  of  emotion.  No  doubt  all  the  parties  to 
the  scene  above  described,  were  in  a  state  of  the  greatest 
curiosity  and  excitement,  and  the  family  doubtless  felt 
the  most  exuberant  joy  at  the  reunion ;  but  custom,  or 
their  ideas  of  good  taste,  prohibited  the  exhibition  of  a 
"  scene."  Those  who  are  best  acquainted  with  the  char 
acter  of  the  Indians  agree  that  with  them  the  ties  of  fam 
ily  affection  are  exceedingly  strong  and  enduring.  The 
most  touching  descriptions  are-  given  of  the  manner  in 
which  they  mourn  for  the  dead,  and  of  the  tender  and 
faithful  remembrance  of  lost  relatives  that  no  length  of 
time  seems  to  obliterate.  Carver  says,  "  I  can  assert  that, 
notwithstanding  the  apparent  indifference  with  which  an 
Indian  meets  his  wife  and  children  after  a  long  absence,  an 
indifference  proceeding  rather  from  custom  than  insensibility, 
he  is  not  unmindful  of  the  claims  either  of  connubial  or 
parental  tenderness." 

The  same  author  who  had  witnessed  the  most  bloody 
and  savage  scenes  of  Indian  warfare,  and  who  was  familiar 
with  the  cruelties  and  unrelenting  spirit  of  revenge  peculiar 
to  the  race,  candidly  tears  witness  to  their  good  qualities  : 

"  No  people,"  he  says,  "  can  be  more  hospitable,  kind, 
and  free.  *  *  The  honor  of  their  tribe  and  the 
welfare  of  their  nation  is  the  first  and  most  predominant 
emotion  of  their  hearts  ;  and  from  hence  proceed  in  a  great 
measure  all  their  virtues  and  their  vices. 
No  selfish  views  ever  influence  their  advice  or  obstruct 
their  consultations.  *  *  They  are  at  once  guided 
by  passions  and  appetites,  which  they  hold  in  common  with 
the  fiercest  beasts  that  inhabit  their  woods,  and  are  pos 
sessed  of  virtues  which  do  honor  to  human  nature." 


24  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  Indians  are  naturally  taciturn,  but  fond  of  set 
speeches.  Their  oratory  is  of  no  mean  order,  and  is  dis 
tinguished  for  a  pithiness,  a  quaintness,  and  occasionally  a 
vein  of  dry  sarcasm,  which  have  never  been  surpassed. 
We  have  specimens  of  some  of  their  orations,  upon  great 
occasions,  which  are  models  of  stirring  eloquence,  adorned 
with  metaphors  and  similes  which  breathe  the  true  spirit 
of  poetry. 

The  most  pleasing  traits  in  the  character  of  these  strange 
people  are  their  reverence  for  age,  their  affection  for  their 
children,  their  high  notions  of  honor,  and  their  keen  sense 
of  justice.  The  great  stigma  upon  the  whole  race  is  their 
deliberate  and  systematic  cruelty  in  the  treatment  of  cap 
tives.  It  is  hard  to  account  for  this,  but  it  really  appears, 
upon  investigation,  to  be  rather  a  national  custom,  gradu 
ally  reaching  a  climax,  than  to  have  arisen  from  any  innate 
love  of  inflicting  pain.  It  is  perfectly  certain  that,  if  the 
children  of  the  most  enlightened  nation  on  earth  should  be 
brought  up  in  occasional  familiarity  with  scenes  like  those 
witnessed  at  the  execution  of  a  prisoner  by  the  American 
savages,  they  would  experience  no  horror  at  the  sight. 
We  need  not  seek  farther  than  the  history  of  religious  and 
political  persecutions  in  Europe,  or  the  cruelties  practised 
011  reputed  witches  in  our  own  country,  to  satisfy  us  that 
the  character  of  the  Indians  will  suffe.r  little  by  comparison 
with  that  of  their  contemporaries  of  our  own  race. 

Among  some  of  those  nations  which  included  an  ex 
tensive  confederacy,  where  a  system  of  government  had 
become  settled  by  usage,  and  the  authority  of  the  chief 
had  been  strengthened  by  long  submission  to  him  and  his 
predecessors,  an  arbitrary  monarchy  seems  to  have  pre 
vailed  ;  but  among  the  smaller  tribes,  the  authority  of  the 
chief  was  rather  advisory  than  absolute.  There  was  gen 
erally  a  king  who  held  hereditary  office,  and  exercised 
the  powers  of  a  civil  governor  by  virtue  of  his  descent, 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  25 

while  to  lead  the  warriors  in  battle,  the  bravest,  most 
redoubted,  and  sagacious  of  the  tribe  was  elected.  These 
two  chief  offices  were  not  unfrequently  united  in  the 
same  person,  when  the  lawful-  sachem,  from  a  spirit  of 
emulation,  or  from  natural  advantages,  showed  himself 
worthy  of  the  position. 

All  matters  of  national  interest  were  discussed  at  a  sol 
emn  council,  consisting  of  the  principal  men  of  the  tribe, 
and  at  which  great  decorum  and  formality  were  observed. 
As  the  debate  proceeded,  the  whole  conclave,  whenever  a 
remark  from  the  orator  speaking  excited  their  approbation, 
would  give  expression  to  their  approval  by  a  guttural 
ejaculation. 

A  natural  instinct  of  retributive  justice  ordained  that 
the  crime  of  murder  should  be  punished  by  the  hand  of 
the  deceased  person's  nearest  relative.  An  interesting 
incident,  connected  with  this  custom,  is  told  in  a  notice  of 
the  public  life  of  the  Hon.  Pierre  A.  Host,  of  Louisiana, 
given  in  the  United  States  Law  Magazine,  for  March,  1853. 
He  is  here  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  suggest  the  pro 
priety  of  interference  in  these  matters  on  the  part  of  the 
State  Courts.  In  a  drunken  fray,  an  Indian  had  been 
accidentally  killed.  "  The  relatives  of  the  deceased  were 
absent  at  the  time ;  but  they  soon  heard  of  his  death,  and 
came  from  the  Indian  territory  to  exact  blood  for  blood 
from  the  homicide.  He  was  advised  to  flee,  but  would 
not,  and,  in  blind  submission  to  the  law  of  the  red  man, 
agreed  to  deliver  himself  on  a  certain  day  to  be  shot. 
The  Court  was  then  sitting,  and  Mr.  Rost  proposed  to  the 
presiding  judge  to  prevent  the  horrid  sacrifice,  by  giving 
the  victim  a  fair,  trial  by  jury,  many  members  of  which 
were  known  and  respected  by  the  relatives  of  the  deceased, 
and  impressing  upon  the  latter  the  necessity  of  abiding 
by  the  verdict,  whatever  it  might  be."  This  was  done, 
and  every  thing  was  conducted  with  due  form  and  solem- 


26  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

nity.  The  Indian  witnesses  gave  the  most  satisfactory 
answers  when  questioned  as  to  their  ideas  of  the  obli 
gation  of  an  oath,  and,  after  a  full  hearing,  the  defendant 
was  acquitted.  The  decision  was  translated  to  the  com 
plainants,  and  they  were  told  that  to  kill  the  prisoner 
would  now  be  murder,  and  would  subject  them  to  the 
penalties  of  that  crime. 

"  Mr.  Host  then  rose,  and  stated  to  the  Court  that  the 
prosecutors  had  left  their  hunting-ground  to  come  and 
avenge  the  death  of  their  relative,  as  it  was  their  duty  to 
do ;  that  justice  had  been  done  to  the  accused,  but  that 
was  not  sufficient.  Justice  must  also  be  done  to  the  other 
side  ;  they  must  be  indemnified  for  the  inconvenience  they 
had  been  put  to,  and  the  loss  they  had  sustained ;  and,  as 
the  coffers  of  the  treasury  would  not  unlock  at  the  bidding 
of  his  honor,  he  moved  that  the  bar,  jury,  and  by-standers, 
contribute  a  sufficient  amount  to  satisfy  them.  This  was 
done  as  soon  as  proposed,  and  the  prosecutors  declared 
themselves  satisfied." 

The  institution  of  marriage  among  the  American  Indians 
is  by  110  means  so  restrictive  a  system  as  that  adopted  by 
enlightened  nations.  It  is  for  the  most  part  dissoluble  at 
the  pleasure  of  the  parties,  and  polygamy  is  extensively 
practised.  As  with  other  barbarous  nations,  the  woman 
is  compelled  to  undergo  the  drudgery  of  daily  labor, 
while  her  lord  and  master  lounges  indolently  about  the 
village,  except  at  times  when  his  energies  are  called  forth 
for  hunting  or  war.  When  once  engaged  in  these  pur 
suits,  his  fixedness  of  purpose,  and  the  readiness  with 
which  he  will  undergo  the  extremes  of  toil,  exposure, 
hunger,  and  privation,  is  marvellous. 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  31 


CHAPTER    II. 

RELIGION  OF  THE  INDIANS — THEIR  WEAPONS,  AND  SYSTEM   OF  WAR. 
FARE.— THEIR  LODGINGS,  DRESS,  ORNAMENTS,  ETC. 

"  Yet  simple  nature  to  his  hope  has  given, 
Behind  the  cloud-topped  hill,  an  humbler  heaven ; 
Some  safer  world,  in  depths  of  wood  embraced, 
Some  happier  island  in  the  watery  waste."  —  POPE. 

THE  Indians,  before  receiving  instruction  from  Euro 
peans,  generally  believed  in  the  existence  of  a  Supreme 
Deity,  embodying  a  principle  of  universal  benevolence, 
and  that  to  him  their  gratitude  was  due  for  all  natural 
benefits. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  stood  in  fear  of  a  spirit  of  evil, 
whose  influence  upon  human  affairs  they  considered  as 
being  more  direct  and  familiar.  To  this  being,  known 
among  many  tribes  as  Hobamocko,  much  more  assiduous 
devotion  was  paid  than  to  the  Great  Spirit,  it  being  far 
more  essential  in  their  view  to  deprecate  the  wrath  of  a 
terrible  enemy,  than  to  seek  the  favor  of  one  already  per 
fectly  well  disposed  towards  his  creatures.  Besides  these 
two  superior  deities,  a  sort  of  fanciful  mythology,  not 
unlike  that  of  many  ancient  Eastern  nations,  invested  every 
notable  object  with  its  tutelary  divinity,  and  bestowed  on 
each  individual  his  guardian  spirit. 

A  general  idea  that  the  good  would  be  rewarded,  and 
the  bad  punished,  was  entertained.  Far  away  to  the  warm 
South-west,  a  pleasant  land  was  fabled,  in  which  the  hunt 
er,  after  death,  should  pursue  his  favorite  employment,  in 
the  midst  of  abundance,  and  a  stranger  for  ever  to  want  or 
fear; 

"Where  everlasting  Autumn  lies 
On  yellow  woods  and  sunny  skies." 


32  INDIAN    RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

Their  heaven  was  as  far  removed  from  the  sensual  para 
dise  of  the  Mahometans,  as  from  the  pure  abstractions  of 
an  enlightened  religion.  Ease,  comfort,  and  a  sufficiency 
for  the  natural  wants,  seemed  all-sufficient  to  these  simple 
children  of  nature,  to  render  an  eternity  delightful. 

The  description  handed  down  to  us  of  the  Indian  pow 
wows  or  conjurers,  >  and  their  medicine-men,  derive  an 
additional  piquancy  and  interest  from  the  fact,  that  those 
who  detail  them  were  generally  as  superstitious  as  the 
poor  natives  themselves.  We  might  cite  pages  in  which 
the  necromantic  performances  of  the  red  men  are  spoken 
of  with  all  the  pious  horror  that  would  naturally  be  excited 
by  what  were  considered  the  direct  operations  of  the  devil, 
as  displayed  in  the  works  of  his  children.  Winslow,  tak 
ing  occasion  to  explain  the  meaning  of  the  word  "  Paniese," 
often  applied  to  notable  warriors  in  New  England,  says, 
''The  Panieses  are  men  of  great  courage  and  wisdom,  and 
to  these  also  the  devil  appeareth  more  familiarly  than  to 
others,  and,  as  we  conceive,  maketh  covenant  with  them 
to  preserve  them  from  death  by  wounds  with  arrows, 
knives,  hatchets,  &c." 

The  works  of  the  learned  divine,  Cotton  Mather,  are 
filled  with  similar  extravagances. 

These  powwows,  says  Gookin,  "  are  partly  wizards  and 
witches,  holding  familiarity  with  Satan,  that  evil  one ;  and 
partly  are  physicians,  and  make  use,  at  least  in  show,  of 
herbs  arid  roots  for  curing  the  sick  and  diseased.  These 
are  sent  for  by  the  sick  and  wounded ;  and  by  their  dia 
bolical  spells,  mutterings,  exorcisms,  they  seem  to  do  won 
ders.  They  use  extraordinary  strange  motions  of  their 
bodies,  insomuch  that  they  sweat  until  they  foam ;  and 
thus  they  continue  for  some  hours  together,  stroking  and 
hovering  over  the  sick. — These  powwows  are  reputed, 
and  I  conceive  justly,  to  hold  familiarity  with  the  devil." 

Wherever   the   Indians   have    enjoyed  free   intercourse 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  33 

with  the  whites,  they  have  been  no  less  eager  to  adopt 
than  apt  to  acquire  the  use  of  their  more  efficacious 
weapons.  It  is  of  the  primitive  instruments  for  offence 
or  defence  that  we  shall  now  speak.  Scattered  over  the 
whole  country,  even  at  the  present  day,  small  triangular 
bits  of  wrought  flint,  quartz,  or  other  stone  are  turned  up 
by  the  plough,  or  seen  lying  on  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
These  arrow-heads,  with  occasionally  one  of  a  larger  size, 
which  might  have  served  for  a  lance,  a  stone  tomahawk, 
a  rude  pestle,  or  the  fragment  of  a  bowl  of  the  same  mate 
rial,  constitute  almost  the  only  marks  now  visible,  in  the 
thickly  settled  Eastern  states,  of  the  race  that  formerly 
inhabited  them.  The  opening  of  a  tomb  sometimes  brings 
to  light  other  relics,  and  various  specimens  of  native  art 
have  been  preserved  among  us  from  generation  to  gen 
eration,  as  curious  relics  of  antiquity ;  but  until  we  arrive 
at  the  Western  tumuli,  (commencing  at  the  state  of  New 
York)  we  find  but  slight  impressions  upon  soil  at  the 
hands  of  the  red  men,  and  the  few  and  simple  articles  to 
which  we  have  alluded,  constitute  the  most  important  pro 
ductions  of  their  skill,  except  those  formed  from  a  perish 
able  material. 

How  the  arrow  and  lance  heads  could  have  been  attached 
with  any  degree  of  firmness  to  the  wood,  seems  almost 
incomprehensible.  Captain  Smith  describes  a  species  of 
glue  which  assisted  in  accomplishing  this  object,  but  the 
shank  or  portion  of  the  stone  that  entered  the  wood  is  in 
some  of  the  specimens  so  short  and  ill  defined,  that  it 
seems  impossible  that  it  should  have  been  held  firm  in  its 
place  by  such  means.  The  arrow-heads  were  chipped  into 
shape,  presenting  something  the  same  surface  as  a  gun- 
flint,  while  the  tomahawks  and  pestles,  being  of  a  less  in 
tractable  material,  were  ground  smooth,  and  some  of  them 
were  highly  polished.  A  handle  was  commonly  affixed 
to  the  "  tom-hog  "  or  tomahawk  by  inserting  it  in  a  split 


34  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

sapling,  and  waiting  for  the  wood  to  grow  firmly  around 
it ;  after  which,  it  was  cut  off  at  the  requisite  length. 

The  Indian  bow  was  shorter  than  that  formerly  used  in 
England,  and  was  so  stiff  as  to  require  great  strength  or 
skill  to  bend  it.  It  became  a  much  more  effective  weapon 
after  the  introduction  of  steel  or  iron  arrow-heads,  which 
quickly  superseded  those  of  stone.  Clubs,  sometimes 
armed  with  flints,  with  the  bow  and  tomahawk,  constitute 
the  principal  weapon  of  the  race.  Daggers  of  flint  or 
bone,  and  shields  of  buffalo  hide,  were  in  use  among  some 
of  the  Western  tribes. 

Divided  into  innumerable  petty  nations,  nearly  the  whole 
Indian  population  lived  in  a  state  of  insecurity,  from  the 
constant  hostility  which  prevailed  between  different  tribes. 
So  strong  a  clannish  spirit  as  they  all  exhibited  has  seldom 
been  noticed  in  any  country,  and  the  bitterest  hatred  was 
inherited  by  every  individual  towards  the  members  of  an 
unfriendly  tribe.  War,  as  in  most  nations,  whether  bar 
barous  or  enlightened,  was  ever  esteemed  the  most  honor 
able  employment.  The  manner  in  which  hostilities  were 
conducted  will  appear  by  a  detail  of  some  of  the  more 
noted  Indian  wars,  as  given  in  the  ensuing  chapters  of  this 
work.  The  whole  was  a  system  of  stratagem  and  surprise ; 
a  pitched  battle  in  an  open  field  was  almost  unknown,  and 
greater  honor  was  ascribed  to  the  chief  who,  by  a  night 
attack,  destroyed  his  enemies  at  a  disadvantage,  and 
brought  away  their  scalps  in  triumph,  without  loss  to  his 
own  people,  than  to  deeds  involving  the  greatest  personal 
exposure.  The  remorseless  cruelty  with  which  women 
and  children  were  destroyed  in  the  heat  of  conflict,  has 
furnished  a  theme  for  many  a  tale  of  horror. 

Previous  to  a  declaration  of  war  against  another  tribe, 
the  chief  men  and  councillors  of  the  nation  were  in  the 
habit  of  holding  solemn  consultations,  accompanied  by 
numerous  fantastic  ceremonies.  When  fully  resolved  upon 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  35 

hostilities,  the  first  step  was  to  secure  the  assistance  of  as 
many  of  the  neighboring  tribes  as  possible,  for  which  pur 
pose  ambassadors  were  sent,  to  set  forth  the  advantages 
of  the  union,  and  to  cement  a  treaty  by  exchange  of  wam 
pum.  When  all  was  ready,  a  hatchet  or  other  weapon, 
painted  red,  was  sent  as  an  intimation  to  the  enemy  of 
what  was  in  store.  We  are  told  that  the  reception  of  this 
ominous  token  frequently  excited  such  rage  in  the  minds 
of  those  to  whom  it  was  sent,  "  that  in  the  first  transports 
of  their  fury,  a  small  party  of  them  would  issue  forth,  with 
out  waiting  for  permission  from  the  elder  chiefs,  and,  slay 
ing  the  first  of  the  offending  nation  they  met,  cut  open  the 
body,  and  stick  a  hatchet,  of  the  same  kind  as  that  they 
had  just  received,  into  the  heart  of  their  slaughtered  foe." 

When,  weary  with  the  war,  either  party  desired  to  ter 
minate  hostilities,  the  message  was  sent  under  the  protec 
tive  influence  of  the  calumet,  or  pipe  of  peace,  which,  like 
a  flag  of  truce  among  other  nations,  every  where  secured 
the  person  of  those  who  bore  it.  This  pipe,  so  widely 
celebrated,  and  of  such  universal  use,  was  most  elaborately 
carved  and  bedecked.  Each  nation  had  its  own  peculiar 
style  of  ornament  for  this  all-important  symbol,  which 
was  known  to  all  the  neighboring  tribes.  A  solemn  and 
ceremonious  smoking  of  the  calumet,  formed  the  token  of 
ratification  to  every  treaty.  When  used  at  the  conclusion 
of  a  peace,  the  painted  hatchet  was  buried  in  the  ground, 
and  belts  of  wampum,  so  figured  and  arranged  as  to  com 
memorate  the  essential  articles  of  the  pacific  agreement, 
were  presented,  to  be  kept  as  a  perpetual  memorial. 

The  treatment  of  captives  exhibited  the  opposite  ex 
tremes  of  cruelty  and  kindness.  Greatly  to  the  credit  of 
the  race,  it  was  observed  that,  in  most  instances,  white 
women  who  fell  into  their  hands  met  with  no  outrage  or 
indignity.  They  were  generally  kindly  treated,  and  every 
respect  was  paid  to  their  feelings.  The  men  taken  prison- 


36 


INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


ers  of  war,  were  either  adopted  to  supply  the  place  of  those 
who  had  fallen  in  battle,  —  in  which  case  they  were  to 
undertake  all  the  responsibilities,  and  were  entitled  to  all 
the  privileges  of  the  one  in  whose  place  they  stood,  —  or 
they  were  solemnly  devoted  to  death,  by  the  most  refined 
and  cruel  torments  that  diabolical  ingenuity  could  devise. 

On  such  occasions,  all  his  native  powers  of  stoical  endu 
rance  were  called  forth  on  the  part  of  the  doomed  warrior. 
When  told  what  was  the  fate  before  him,  he  would  briefly 
express  his  satisfaction ;  and  when  led  to  the  stake,  and 
subjected  to  every  torture,  by  fire  and  mutilation,  he  would 
maintain  a  proud  composure,  recounting  his  exploits,  and 
the  injuries  which  he  had  inflicted  upon  his  tormentors 
in  former  battles,  taunting  them  with  their  unskilfulness  in 
the  art,  and  describing  the  superior  manner  in  which  he 
and  his  friends  had  tortured  their  relatives.  Not  unfre- 
quently  the  rage  of  the  surrounding  company  would  be  so 
excited  by  these  expressions  of  contempt,  and  by  their  in 
ability  to  break  the  warrior's  spirit,  that  some  of  them 
would  rush  upon  him,  and  despatch  him  at  once  by  a  blow 
of  the  tomahawk. 


The  habitations  and  clothing  of  the  Indians  varied 
greatly  with  the  temperature  of  the  climate.  In  the  warm 
regions  of  the  South,  a  slight  covering  proved  sufficient, 
while  to  resist  the  severity  of  a  New  England  winter  very 
efficient  precautions  were  taken.  The  usual  manner  of 
building  their  wigwams,  was  by  fixing  a  row  of  poles 
firmly  in  the  ground,  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  and  then 
bending  and  confining  the  tops  together  in  the  centre.  A 
hole  was  left  for  the  smoke  of  the  fire  to  escape,  at  the 
top  of  the  cabin ;  every  other  part  being  warmly  and 
closely  covered  with  matting.  A  tight  screen  hung  over 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  37 

the  doorway,  which  was  raised  when  any  one  entered,  and 
then  allowed  to  fall  into  its  place. 

A  species  of  matting  was  prepared  by  peeling  the  bark 
from  trees,  and  subjecting  it,  packed  in  layers,  to  a  heavy 
pressure.  With  this  material,  or  with  mats  woven  from 
rushes,  &c.,  the  walls  of  the  huts  were  so  closely  thatched, 
as  to  effectually  resist  wind  and  weather. 

Some  of  these  wigwams  were  of  great  size,  being  from 
fifty  to  a  hundred  feet  in  length,  but  the  generality  were 
of  dimensions  suitable  to  a  single  family.  Their  bedding 
consisted  of  mattresses  disposed  in  bunks  attached  to  the 
walls,  or  upon  low  movable  couches.  Bear  and  deer  skins 
furnished  additional  covering.  Their  other  furniture  and 
household  utensils  were  simple  in  the  extreme.  Clay  or 
earthen  pots,  wooden  platters,  bowls  and  spoons,  and  pails 
ingeniously  fashioned  of  birch  bark,  served  their  purpose 
for  cookery  and  the  table.  They  were  skilled  in  basket- 
making. 

In  many  of  their  towns  and  villages,  the  wigwams  were 
set  in  orderly  rows,  with  an  open  space  or  court  near  the 
centre ;  while  the  whole  was  surrounded  by  a  strong  pali 
sade,  having  but  one  or  two  narrow  entrances.  For  spir 
ited  descriptions  and  sketches  of  the  modern  Indian  towns 
of  the  extreme  West,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  valuable 
works  of  Mr.  George  Catlin.  In  many  respects  it  will  be 
perceived  that  old  customs  are  still  observed. 

The  clothing  of  the  Indians  consisted  mostly  of  skins, 
dressed  with  no  little  skill.  Leggins  of  deer  skins,  with  a 
hand's  breath  of  the  material  hanging  loose  at  the  side 
seam,  and  often  highly  ornamented  with  fringe  and  em 
broidery  ;  moccasins  of  buck,  elk,  or  buffalo  skin ;  and  a 
garment  of  various  fashion,  from  a  simple  cincture  about 
the  loins,  to  a  warm  and  ornamental  mantle  or  coat,  com 
pleted  the  equipment  of  the  men. 

Very  rarely,  even  in  our  own  times,  do  we  find  Indians 


38  INDIAN   RACES    OF    AMERICA. 

who  are  willing  to  submit  to  the  restraining  and  incon 
venient  dress  of  the  whites.  They  have  always  been  ac 
customed  to  leave  the  thigh  bare,  and  about  the  neck  they 
can  endure  none  of  the  clumsy  and  disagreeable  bandages 
in  such  universal  use  among  civilized  nations.  *  "  Those 
who  wear  shirts,"  says  Carver,  "  never  make  them  fast, 
either  at  the  wrist  or  collar ;  this  would  be  a  most  insuffer 
able  confinement  to  them." 

The  women  wore  a  short  frock,  reaching  to  the  knees  ; 
their  covering  for  the  legs  and  feet  were  similar  to  that 
worn  by  the  men.  In  some  portions  of  the  country,  very 
beautiful  specimens  of  ornamental  mantles,  covered  with 
neatly-arranged  feathers,  were  seen  and  described  by  early 
writers.  Colored  porcupine  quills  were  in  general  use, 
both  for  stitching  and  ornamenting  the  clothing  and  other 
equipments  of  the  Indian. 

A  fondness  for  gay  colors  and  gaudy  ornaments  has 
ever  been  conspicuous  in  the  whole  race.  From  pocone 
and  other  roots,  a  brilliant  red  paint  or  dye  was  prepared, 
with  which,  and  with  other  pigments  —  as  charcoal,  earths, 
and  extracts  from  the  barks  of  certain  trees  —  they  painted 
their  bodies,  in  different  styles,  either  to  make  a  terrible 
impression  on  their  enemies,  or  simply  to  bedeck  them 
selves  in  a  becoming  manner  in  the  eyes  of  their  friends. 
The  usual  savage  custom  of  wearing  pendants  at  the  ears 
was  common.  The  cartilage  was  frequently  stretched  and 
enlarged  by  weights,  and  by  winding  it  with  brass  wire, 
until  it  nearly  reached  the  shoulder.  Tattooing  was  prac 
tised  by  some  nations,  but  not  so  systematically,  or  to  so 
great  an  extent  as  has  been  observed  among  the  savages  of 
warmer  climates,  where  little  clothing  is  worn. 

One  of  the  most  noted  species  of  ornament,  which 
answered  all  the  purpose  of  a  circulating  medium  among 
the  Eastern  Indians,  was  wampum.  This  consisted  of 
small  circular  bits  of  sea-shell,  smoothly  ground  and  pol- 


GENERAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  39 

ished,  with  a  hole  drilled  through  the  centre  of  each,  by 
which  it  might  be  strung,  or  attached  ornamentally  to  the 
belt  or  other  parts  of  the  dress.  The  "  qua-hog  "  or  round 
clam  furnished  the  principal  material  for  this  coin,  the 
variegated  purple  portions  of  the  shell  being  much  the 
most  valuable.  The  great  labor  in  preparing  it  was  the 
boring,  which  was  effected  by  a  sharp  flint.  When  we 
consider  the  slow  nature  of  such  a  process,  we  can  scarce 
credit  the  accounts  given  of  the  immense  quantities  of 
wampum  that  were  procured  by  the  white  colonists,  while 
it  retained  its  value,  in  exchange  for  European  commodi 
ties,  or  which  were  exacted  as  tribute,  in  atonement  for 
national  offences. 

"  XJie  wompompeague,"  says  Gookin,  "  is  made  princi 
pally  by  the  Block  Islanders  and  Long  Island  Indians. 
Upon  the  sandy  flats  and  shores  of  those  coasts  the  wilk 
shells  are  found.  With  this  wompompeague  they  pay 
tribute,  redeem  captives,  satisfy  for  murders  and  other 
wrongs,  purchase  peace  with  their  potent  neighbors,  as 
occasion  requires  ;  in  a  word,  it  answers  all  occasions  with 
them,  as  gold  and  silver  doth  with  us.  They  delight  much 
in  having  and  using  knives,  combs,  scissors,  hatchets,  hoes, 
guns,  needles,  awls,  looking-glasses,  and  such  like  necessa 
ries  which  they  purchase  of  the  English  and  Dutch  with 
their  peague,  and  then  sell  them  their  peltry  for  their 
wompeague." 

The  principal  articles  of  food  used  by  the  aborigines  of 
the  present  United  States,  were  the  products  of  the  chase, 
fish,  beans,  some  species  of  squashes  and  pumpkins,  and 
maize  or  Indian  corn.  Wild  rice,  growing  in  rich,  wet 
land  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  furnished  a  wholesome 
and  easily  gathered  supply  of  farinaceous  food  to  the  tribes 
of  the  temperate  portion  of  the  United  States.  Shell  fish 
were  a  very  important  addition  to  the  resources  of  those 
who  dwelt  near  the  sea-coast,  and  in  the  interior,  various 
3 


40  INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

species  of  wild  roots,  and  certain  nutritious  bark  supplied 
the  failure  of  the  cultivated  crop,  and  furnished  the  means 
to  eke  out  a  subsistence  when  the  hunt  was  unsuccessful 
or  the  last  year's  stores  had  been  consumed  before  the  sea 
son  of  harvest. 

To  effect  a  clearing,  and  to  secure  a  crop  with  such  rude 
implements  of  stone  as  they  possessed,  appears  to  us  almost 
an  impracticable  undertaking ;  but  we  are  assured,  by  early 
writers,  that  they  obtained  as  large  a  yield  from  a  given 
spot  of  ground  as  can  be  produced  by  the  assistance  of 
all  modern  conveniences  and  contrivances.  Two  dishes, 
greatly  in  vogue  among  the  Indians,  have  maintained  their 
popularity  among  their  European  successors.  Green  corn, 
the  ripening  of  which  was  celebrated  by  a  national  dance, 
is  sought  as  eagerly  as  when  it  supplied  a  grateful  refresh 
ment  to  the  red  men,  emaciated,  as  Smith  describes  them, 
by  the  spring  diet  of  fish  and  roots.  A  preparation,  de 
nominated  "  Succotash,"  consisting  of  maize,  boiled  with 
beans,  and  flavored  with  fat  bear's  meat,  or  fish,  still  re 
mains  (with  the  substitution  of  pork  for  wild  meats)  a 
favorite  dish  in  New  England.  Carver  says  that,  as  pre 
pared  by  the  natives,  it  was  "  beyond  comparison  delicious." 

It  is  singular  that  the  use  of  milk  should  have  been 
entirely  unknown  before  the  advent  of  the  whites,  although 
there  were  various  animals  in  the  country  from  which  it 
might  have  been  procured.  This  fact  has  been  adduced 
as  a  strong  argument  against  the  hypothesis,  that  immi 
grants  from  the  nomadic  tribes  of  Tartary  have  mingled 
with  the  red  race  in  comparatively  modern  times.  If  the 
ferocity  or  wildness  of  the  buffalo,  deer,  or  elk,  had  at  first 
seemed  to  render  their  domestication  impracticable,  yet  it 
is  not  probable  that  so  important  an  article  of  subsistence 
would  have  been  not  only  disused,  but  entirely  forgotten, 
until  many  generations  had  passed  away. 

With  the  foregoing  brief  sketch  of  some  of  the  more 


GENERAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  41 

marked  Indian  traits  and  peculiarities,  we  will  dismiss  this 
portion  of  our  subject ;  and,  dealing  no  more  in  general 
ities,  proceed  to  take  up  the  history  of  various  tribes  and 
nations,  somewhat  in  the  order  of  the  dates  of  their  first 
intercourse  with  Europeans.  We  need  make  no  apology 
for  the  omission  of  many  minor  clans,  or  for  avoiding  that 
particularity,  in  the  delineation  of  private  character,  which 
belongs  rather  to  biography  than  to  general  history. 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES. 
CHAPTER    I. 

UNITED   STATES   TERRITORY,  ETC. 

"  But  what  are  These,  still  standing  in  the  midst  ? 
The  Earth  has  rocked  beneath ;  the  Thunder-stone 
Passed  through  and  through,  and  left  its  traces  there. 
Yet  still  they  stand  as  by  some  Unknown  Charter ! 
O,  they  are  Nature's  own  !  and,  as  allied 
To  the  vast  Mountains  and  the  eternal  Sea, 
They  want  no  written  history ;  theirs  a  voice 
Forever  speaking  to  the  heart  of  Man  !  "  —  ROGERS. 

IN  the  absence  of  any  written  record  of  those  numerous 
races  which  formerly  peopled  this  hemisphere,  information 
must  be  sought  in  their  monuments,  and  in  the  disinterred 
relics  of  their  ancient  manner  of  life.  These,  considering 
the  almost  unbroken  wilderness  which  presented  itself 
to  the  first  white  adventurers,  are  surprisingly  numerous". 
They  indicate  the  former  existence  of  populous  nations, 
excelling  in  many  of  the  arts  of  civilization,  and  capable, 
by  their  numbers  and  combination,  of  executing  the  most 
gigantic  works  for  religion,  public  defence,  and  commem 
oration  of  the  dead.  Such  relics,  though,  for  the  most  part, 
not  immediately  pertaining  to  the  history  of  the  Indian 
tribes,  have  supported  the  conjectures  advanced  by  Hum- 
boldt  and  other  eminent  cosmographers,  that  these  races  are 
but  the  dwindled  and  degraded  remains  of  once  flourishing 
and  populous  nations.  The  retrograde  process  to  which 
certain  forms  of  incomplete  civilization  appear  doomed,  has 

(42) 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  43 

perhaps  been  most  strikingly  exemplified  in  the  difference 
to  be  discovered  between  the  feeble  and  scattered  tribes 
of  the  red  race,  and  those  powerful  and  populous  commu 
nities  who  occupied  the  soil  before  them. 

The  relics  of  the  former  people,  usually  discovered  on 
or  slightly  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground,  are  of  a  rude 
and  simple  character,  differing  little  from  the  specimens 
common  among  their  descendants  of  the  present  day.  The 
flint  arrow-head,  chipped  painfully  into  shape  —  the  stone 
tomahawk,  knife,  and  chisel  —  the  pipe,  the  rude  pottery 
and  savage  ornaments,  are  their  only  relics ;  and  these 
differ  but  little  from  the  same  articles  still  fabricated  by 
their  successors. 

Except  among  the  Esquimaux,  who  occasionally  use 
stone,  and  who  avail  themselves  of  the  arch  and  dome  in 
the  construction  of  their  snow  huts,  nothing  like  regular 
architecture  can  be  assigned  to  the  late  or  modern  tribes 
occupying  this  continent  northward  of  Mexico.  The  In 
dian  tumuli,  or  mounds  of  burial,  are  generally  small  and 
of  simple  construction.  It  has,  however,  been  rationally 
supposed  that  the  force  of  religious  custom,  surviving  art 
and  civilization,  has  preserved  to  the  red  tribes  this  char 
acteristic  method  of  their  forefathers  ;  and  that  the  rude 
barrows,  which  they  still  erect,  are  but  the  puny  and 
dwindled  descendants  of  those  mighty  mounds  and  ter 
raced  pyramids  which  still  rear  their  heads  from  the  isth 
mus  to  the  lakes,  and  from  the  shores  of  Florida  to  the 
Mexican  Cordilleras. 

The  origin  of  these  and  of  other  unquestionably  ancient 
remains,  is  to  the  antiquarian  a  question  of  the  most  lively 
and  perplexing  interest.  Here,  in  unknown  ages  and.  for 
unknown  periods,  have  existed  wealth,  power,  and  civil 
ization  ;  yet  the  remains  by  which  these  are  indicated  seem 
to  furnish  but  a  slight  clew  to  the  epoch  and  history  of 
their  long-vanished  constructors.  Within  the  mounds  and 


44  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

mural  embankments  scattered  through  a  large  portion  of 
this  country,  are  found  the  remains  of  high  mechanical 
and  scientific  art.  Pottery,  the  most  fragile  of  man's 
works,  yet  almost  indestructible  by  time,  still  remains  in 
large  quantities  and  in  good  preservation.  In  the  compo 
sition  and  coloring  of  these  articles,  much  chemical  skill 
is  evinced  ;  while  in  many  cases,  their  grace  of  form  and 
perfection  of  finish  rival  the  remains  of  Grecian  or  Etrus 
can  art.  Some  of  these  ancient  vessels  are  of  immense 
size ;  one,  disinterred  from  a  Western  mound  being  eigh 
teen  feet  in  length  by  six  in  breadth.  Glass  beads  of  rare 
and  elaborate  construction  have  been  found ;  stone  orna 
ments,  skilfully  wrought,  and  brick,  much  resembling  that 
in  modern  use,  have  been  often  discovered. 

Metallic  remains  are  frequent.  Copper,  used  both  for 
weapons  and  for  ornament,  has  often  been  found,  and  occa 
sionally  specimens,  plated  with  silver,  have  been  disinterred. 
At  an  ancient  mound  in  Marietta,  a  silver  cup  finely  gilt 
on  the  inside,  was  exposed  to  view  by  the  washing  of  a 
stream.  It  has  been  often  questioned  whether  the  use  of 
iron  was  known  to  these  aboriginal  races  ;  but  except  the 
occasional  presence  of  rust  in  the  excavations,  little  has 
been  ascertained  with  certainty  —  the  perishable  nature  of 
that  metal  peculiarly  exposing  it  to  the  destroying  influ 
ence  of  time  and  dampness. 

Inscriptions  upon  rocks,  mostly  of  a  hieroglyphic  char 
acter,  are  numerous  ;  and  on  the  walls  of  several  caverns 
in  the  west,  some  extraordinary  specimens  may  be  seen. 
In  the  same  gloomy  receptacles  have  been  found  numbers 
of  a  species  of  mummy,  most  carefully  prepared,  and  beau 
tifully  covered  with  colored  feathers,  symmetrically  ar 
ranged.  Stone  coffins  and  burial  urns  of  great  beauty  have 
also  been  disinhumed  from  the  Western  mounds. 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  45 


MOUNDS  AND  FORTIFICATIONS. 

"*        *        *        *        Are  they  here  — 

The  dead  of  other  days  ?  —  And  did  the  dust 

Of  these  fair  solitudes  once  stir  with  life, 

And  burn  with  passion  ?  —  Let  the  mighty  mounds 

That  overlook  the  rivers,  or  that  rise 

In  the  dim  forest,  crowded  with  old  oaks, 

Answer.     A  race  that  long  has  passed  away 

Built  them  ;  a  disciplined  and  populous  race 

Heaped,  with  long  toil,  the  earth,  while  yet  the  Greek 

Was  hewing  the  Pentelicus  to  forms 

Of  symmetry,  and  rearing  on  its  rock 

The  glittering  Parthenon.     These  ample  fields 

Nourished  their  harvests  ;  here  their  herds  were  fed, 

When  haply  by  their  stalls  the  bison  lowed, 

And  bowed  his  maned  shoulder  to  the  yoke."  —  BRYANT. 

THE  mural  remains,  in  the  United  States  alone,  are  of 
almost  incredible  number,  and  of  most  imposing  magni 
tude.  It  has  been  asserted  by  an  accurate  western  antiqua 
rian  —  "I  should  not  exaggerate  if  I  were  to  say  that  more 
than  five  thousand  might  be  found,  some  of  them  enclosing 
more  than  a  hundred  acres."  The  mounds  and  tumuli, 
he  remarks,  are  far  more  numerous.  Professor  Kafinesque 
ascertained  the  existence  of  more  than  five  hundred  ancient 
monuments  in  Kentucky  alone,  and  fourteen  hundred  in 
other  states,  most  of  which  he  had  personally  examined. 
These  remains  appear  most  numerous  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  and  near  the  great  lakes  and 
the  rivers  which  flow  into  them.  A  striking  proof  of  their 
immense  antiquity  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the  latter 
stand  upon  the  ancient  margin  of  the  lakes,  from  which, 
in  some  immemorial  age,  their  waters  are  known  to  have 
receded. 

It  is  remarkable  that  these  peculiar  works  of  antiquity 
touch  the  ocean  only  in  Florida  at  the  southern  extremity 


46  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  the  Atlantic  coast ;  and  their  greater  number  and  mag 
nitude  in  the  south  and  west  seem  to  fortify  the  supposi 
tion  that  their  founders  came  originally  from  Mexico,  and 
were,  perhaps,  a  people  identical  with  the  builders  of  Cho- 
lula  and  Teotihuacan. 

The  extent  of  some  of  these  works  is  extraordinary.  In 
New  York,  (where  at  least  a  hundred  of  them  have  been 
surveyed)  in  the  county  of  Onondaga,  formerly  existed  the 
remains  of  a  fortification  enclosing  more  than  five  hundred 
acres.  Three  circular  forts,  disposed  as  a  triangle,  and 
situated  about  eight  miles  distant  from  each  other,  served 
as  its  outworks.  In  many  of  these  fortified  places,  con 
siderable  military  skill  is  evinced  ;  angles,  bastions,  and 
curtains,  being  frequently  traceable.  "  Though  much  de 
faced  by  time,"  says  a  traveller,  of  the  intrenchments  near 
Lake  Pepin,  "  every  angle  was  distinguishable,  and  ap 
peared  as  regular,  and  fashioned  with  as  much  military 
skill,  as  if  planned  by  Vauban  himself." 

Some  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  works  have  been 
discovered  in  Georgia.  On  the  banks  of  the  Little  River, 
near  Wrightsborough,  are  found  the  remnants  of  "  a  stu 
pendous  conical  pyramid,  vast  tetragon  terraces,  and  a 
large  sunken  or  excavated  area  of  a  cubical  form,  encom 
passed  with  banks  of  earth,  and  also  the  remains  of  an 
extensive  town."  Other  and  similar  structures-  occur  in 
the  same  region.  On  the  Savannah,  among  other  extensive 
remains,  is  a  conical  mound,  truncated,  fifty  feet  in  height, 
and  eight  hundred  in  circumference  at  its  base.  In  other 
portions  of  the  same  region  are  found  excavations,  and  vast 
quadrangular  terraces.  Florida  abounds  in  vestiges  of  a 
similar  nature. 

At  the  west,  these  remains  assume  a  much  more  perma 
nent  and  imposing  character.  On  a  branch  of  the  Musk- 
ingum  river,  in  Ohio,  a  series  of  intrenchments  and  mounds, 
two  miles  in  length,  and  of  great  solidity  of  structure,  is 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  47 

found  to  exist.  In  Licking  county,  a  most  extensive  range 
of  fortifications,  embracing  or  protecting  an  extent  of  sev 
eral  miles,  has  been  traced. 

At  Circleville,  in  the  same  state,  were  found  two  exten 
sive  earthen  enclosures,  one  an  exact  circle,  and  the  other 
a  correct  square,  corresponding  precisely  to  the  cardinal 
points  of  the  compass ;  and  a  mound  ninety  feet  in  height. 
In  most  of  these  and  other  similar  ruins,  stone  was  used, 
though  to  a  limited  extent.  Parallel  walls,  communicating 
with  the  water,  sometimes  at  a  distance  of  several  miles, 
are  features  common  to  many  of  these  structures.  Farther 
west,  the  extensive  use  of  brick  in  constructing  similar 
edifices  has  been  ascertained  ;  and  an  arched  sewer,  con 
structed  of  stone,  indicates  a  knowledge  of  architecture  far 
superior  to  that  possessed  by  most  semi-civilized  nations. 

In  Missouri,  and  other  regions  of  the  west,  the  remains 
of  stone  buildings  have  been  frequently  discovered  —  in 
one  instance,  those  of  a  town,  regularly  laid  out  in  streets 
and  squares.  Upon  the  Missouri  and  Arkansas  rivers, 
some  of  the  most  extensive  fortified  works  are  found.  In 
one  of  these,  on  the  latter  river,  are  two  immense  mounds, 
truncated,  each  eighty  feet  high,  and  one  thousand  in  cir 
cumference  at  the  base. 

These  gigantic  mounds  are  among  the  most  interesting 
and  thickly  scattered  relics  of  the  vanished  races.  Many 
of  them  are  tumuli,  or  sepulchres  of  the  dead,  others  were 
connected. with  the  defensive  fortifications,  and  others,  of 
the  grandest  and  most  imposing  aspect,  were  probably  huge 
altars  of  idolatrous  worship.*  In  general,  these  ancient 
mounds  may  be  distinguished  from  those  of  the  Indians 
by  their  greater  size,  and  still  more  certainly  by  the  nature 
of  their  contents.  Some  of  these  latter  have  already  been 
described.  Besides  utensils  of  lead,  silver,  and  copper,  the 

*  The  usual  material  employed  in  their  construction  is  earth,  though 
occasionally  they  have  been  built  of  stone. 


48  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

oxydized  remains  of  iron  have  been  found.  Mica  mirrors 
of  various  sizes,  with  a  variety  of  marine  shells,  are  among 
the  deposits. 

The  practice  of  burning  the  dead  appears  to  have  been 
common.  Masses  of  ashes  and  charcoal  are  often  found 
mixed  with  incinerated  bones.  In  Fairfield  county,  Ohio, 
a  huge  earthen  ware  caldron,  placed  upon  a  furnace,  was 
disinterred.  It  was  eighteen  feet  long  by  six  broad  ;  and 
contained  the  skeletons  of  twelve  persons,  besides  various 
articles,  which  had  been  buried  with  them.  They  were  in 
a  large  mound,  fifteen  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

In  the  great  mound  at  Circleville,  an  immense  number 
of  skeletons  were  found,  all  laid  with  their  heads  toward 
the  centre. 

In  Illinois,  nearly  opposite  St.  Louis,  within  the  circuit 
of  a  few  miles,  are  more  than  an  hundred  and  fifty  mounds, 
some  of  extraordinary  size.  One  of  them,  formerly  occu 
pied  by  monks  of  the  Order  of  La  Trappe,  is  ninety  feet 
in  height  and  nearly  half  a  mile  in  circumference.  It  is 
a  remarkable  circumstance  that  the  soil  of  which  these 
huge  cones  are  constructed,  must  occasionally  have  been 
brought  from  a  great  distance.*  The  occasional  exist 
ence  of  terraces  or  stages  of  ascent  would  seem  to  indi 
cate  a  similarity  of  origin  with  the  pyramidal  structures 
of  Mexico. 

Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  suppose  that  the  authors  of  these 
extensive  remains  could  have  had  other  than  a  south-west 
ern  origin.  All  are  ancient  in  the  extreme  ;  yet  probably 
they  were  erected  by  successive  races,  and  the  most  ven 
erable  antiquity  seems  attached  to  the  forest-covered  mounds 
of  the  West. 

Mr.  Bradford,  in  his  interesting  Researches  into  the  Ori 
gin  of  the  Red  Race,  (from  which  many  of  the  foregoing 

*  Many  others  of  great  size,  varying  somewhat  in  form,  yet  all  evincing 
a  striking  similarity  in  construction,  might  be  described. 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  49 

facts   have  been   drawn,)  adopts  with,  safety  the  following 
conclusions  in  regard  to  the  ancient  occupants  of  our  soil. 

I.  "  That  they  were  all  of  the  same  origin,  branches  of 
the  same  race,  and  possessed  of  similar  customs  and  insti 
tutions. 

£.  "  That  they  were  populous,  and  occupied  a  great 
extent  of  territory. 

3.  "  That  they  had  arrived  at  a  considerable  degree  of 
civilization,  were  associated  in  large  communities,  and  lived 
in  extensive  cities. 

4.  "  That  they  possessed  the  use  of  many  of  the  metals, 
such   as   lead,  copper,  gold,  and   silver,  and  probably  the 
art  of  working  in  them. 

5.  "  That  they  sculptured,  in  stone,  and  sometimes  used 
that  material  in  the  construction  of  their  edifices. 

6.  "  That  they  had  the  knowledge  of  the  arch  of  reced 
ing  steps  ;  of  the  art  of  pottery,  —  producing  urns  and  uten 
sils  formed  with  taste,  and  constructed  upon  the  principles 
of  chemical  composition  ;  and  of  the  art  of  brick-making. 

7.  "  That  they  worked  the  salt  springs,  and  manufactured 
that  substance. 

8.  "  That  they  were  an  agricultural  people,  living  under 
the  influence  and  protection  of  regular  forms  of  government. 

9.  "  That  they  possessed  a  decided  system  of  religion, 
and   a   mythology  connected  with   astronomy,  which,  with 
its    sister   science,   geometry,   was   in   the    hands    of    the 
priesthood. 

10.  "  That  they  were  skilled  in  the  art  of  fortification. 

II.  "  That  the  epoch  of  their  original  settlement  in  the 
United  States  is  of  great  antiquity ;  and, 

Lastly,  "  That  the  only  indications  of  their  origin,  to  be 
gathered  from  the  locality  of  their  ruined  monuments, 
point  towards  Mexico." 


50  INDIAN    RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

CHAPTER     II. 

ANTIQUITIES   OF   MEXICO,  ETC. 

"  They  stand  between  the  mountains  and  the  sea ; 
Awful  memorials,  but  of  whom  we  know  not ! 
—  Time  was  they  stood  along  the  crowded  street, 
Temples  of  Gods  !  "  —  ROGERS. 

THE  South-western  regions  of  North.  America  present  a 
most  extensive  and  interesting  field  for  antiquarian  research. 
The  long-continued  existence  of  powerful,  civilized,  and 
populous  races  is  fully  proved  by  the  occurrence  of  almost 
innumerable  ruins  and  national  relics.  Even  in  the  six 
teenth  century,  the  Spanish  invaders  found  these  regions 
in  the  possession  of  a  highly  prosperous  and  partially 
civilized  people.  Government  and  social  institutions  were 
upon  that  firm  and  well-defined  basis  which  betokened 
long  continuance  and  strong  national  sentiment.  In  many 
of  the  arts  and  sciences,  the  subjugated  races  were  equal, 
and  in  others  superior,  to  their  Christian  conquerors. 
Their  public  edifices  and  internal  improvements  were  on 
as  high  a  scale,  and  of  as  scientific  a  character,  as  those 
of  most  European  nations  of  the  day. 

The  fanatical  zeal  of  Cortez  and  his  successors  destroyed 
invaluable  records  of  their  history  and  nationality ;  and 
many  of  their  most  splendid  edifices  fell  before  the  ravages 
of  war  and  bigotry  ;  yet  numerous  structures  still  exist, 
though  in  ruins,  attesting  the  art  and  industry  of  their 
founders.  Pyramids,  in  great  numbers,  still  rear  their 
terraced  and  truncated  surfaces  through  the  land.  In  the 
first  fury  of  the  conquest,  the  great  Teocalli,  or  Temple 
of  the  city  of  Mexico,  was  levelled  to  the  ground,  and 
we  can  only  learn  by  the  description  of  its  destroyers,  with 
what  pomp  and  ceremony  the  Mexicans  celebrated  on  its 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  51 

summit  the  rites  of  their  sanguinary  worship.  The  colos 
sal  figures  of  the  sun  and  moon,  covered  with  plates  of 
gold,  the  hideous  stone  of  sacrifice,  and  the  terrible,  sound 
of  the  great  war-drum,  are  mingled  with  strange  fascina 
tion  of  description  in  the  pages  of  the  early  chroniclers. 

In  the  city  of  Tezcuco,  which  is  said  to  have  contained 
a  hundred  and  forty  thousand  houses,  are  the  remains  of 
a  great  pyramid,  built  of  large  masses  of  basalt,  finely 
polished  and  curiously  sculptured  in  hieroglyphics.  Other 
similar  edifices  in  the  neighborhood  are  composed  of 
brick.  The  enormous  structure  of  Cholula,  covering  a 
surface  twice  larger  than  the  great  Egyptian  pyramid,  but 
truncated  at  half  its  altitude,  still,  in  its  ruins,  excites  the 
admiration  of  travellers. 

A  still  more  extraordinary  effort  of  semi-civilized  indus 
try  is  to  be  found  in  the  celebrated  Xochicalco,  or  (f  House 
of  Flowers,"  situated  on  the  plain  of  Cuernavaca,  more 
than  a  mile  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  appears  to  be 
a  natural  hill,  shaped  in  a  pyramidal  form  by  human  labor, 
and  divided  into  four  terraces.  It  is  between  three  and 
four  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  nearly  three  miles  in  cir 
cumference. 

Eight  leagues  from  the  city  of  Mexico  are  the  two  cele 
brated  pyramids  of  Teotihuacan,  sacred,  according  to  tra 
dition,  to  the  deified  sun  and  moon.  The  larger  has  a 
base  nearly  seven  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  is  a  hun 
dred  and  eighty  feet  in  height.  They  are  faced  with  stone, 
and  covered  with  a  durable  cement.  These  pyramidal 
structures  may  be  estimated  by  thousands  in  the  South 
western  provinces  of  this  continent. 

The  ruins  of  ancient  cities,  in  the  same  region,  are 
extremely  numerous,  and  every  thing  evinces  the  former 
existence  of  a  swarming  and  industrious  population.  In. 
Tezcuco  and  its  vicinity  are  the  remains  of  very  magnifi 
cent  buildings  and  aqueducts.  At  Mitlan,  in  the  district 


52  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  Zapoteca,  occur  specimens  of  architecture  of  the  most 
imposing  character.  Six,  porphyry  columns,  each  nine 
teen  feet  in  height,  and  of  a  single  stone,  decorated  the 
interior  of  the  principal  building.  Elaborate  Mosaic  work 
and  illustrative  paintings  abound,  strongly  resembling 
some  of  the  classical  antiquities. 

The  ruins  of  Palenque,  in  Chiapa,  are  among  the  most 
extensive  and  remarkable.  'Here  formerly  stood  a  great 
city,  the  remains  of  which  can  be  traced,  it  is  said,  over  a 
space  six  or  seven  leagues  in  circumference.  Much  elab 
orate  sculpture,  exhibiting  curious  historical  reliefs,  is  dis 
covered  in  the  forsaken  apartments  of  the  ancient  palaces 
and  temples.  These  represent  human  sacrifices,  dances, 
devotion,  and  other  national  customs.  The  richly-carved 
figure  of  a  cross  excites  surprise  and  speculation  —  the 
same  emblem  having  been  discovered  elsewhere,  as  well 
as  in  Northern  America. 

Many  surprising  remains,  both  of  erection  and  e^xcava- 
tion,  are  to  be  found  near  Villa  Nueva,  in  the  province  of 
Zacatecas.  A  rocky  mountain  has  been  cut  into  terraces, 
and  extensive  ruins  of  pyramids,  causeways,  quadrangular 
enclosures,  and  massive  walls  are  still  standing. 

At  Copan,  in  Honduras,  among  many  other  remarkable 
works,  are  found  numerous  stone  obelisks,  of  little  height, 
covered  with  hieroglyphical  representations.  The  relics 
of  a  fantastic  idolatry  are  frequent.  "  Monstrous  figures 
are  found  amongst  the  ruins  ;  one  represents  the  colossal 
head  of  an  alligator,  having  in  its  jaws  a  figure  with  a 
human  face,  but  the  paws  of  an  animal ;  another  monster 
has  the  appearance  of  a  gigantic  toad  in  an  erect  posture, 
with  human  arms  and  tiger's  claws."  At  the  time  of  the 
Spanish  conquest,  Copan  was  still  a  large  and  populous 
city.  It  is  now  utterly  deserted. 

The  extensive  ruins  of  Uxmal  or  Itzlan,  in  Yucatan, 
have  been,  ever  since  the  memory  of  man,  overgrown  with 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES.  53 

an  ancient  forest.  At  this  place  is  a  large  court,  paved 
entirely  with  the  figures  of  tortoises,  beautifully  carved 
in  relief.  This  curious  pavement  consists  of  more  than 
forty-three  thousand  of  these  reptiles,  much  worn,  though 
cut  upon  very  hard  stone.  A  large  pyramid  and  temple 
are  still  standing,  containing  some  elegant  statues,  and, 
it  is  supposed,  the  representation  of  the  elephant.  Great 
mathematical  accuracy  and  adhesion  to  the  cardinal  points 
distinguish  the  relics  of  this  city. 

Many  other  extraordinary  remains  might  be  cited.  The 
works  of  the  Mexican  nation,  such  as  it  was  found  by  the 
Spaniards,  were  of  a  massive  and  enduring  character. 
Extensive  walls,  designed  for  a  defence  against  foreign 
enemies  ;  large  public  granaries  and  baths,  with  admira 
ble  roads  and  aqueducts,  evinced  a  degree  of  power  and 
enlightenment  to  which  the  colored  races  have  seldom 
attained. 

Sculpture  and  elaborate  carving  were  favorite  occupa 
tions  of  the  Mexicans,  as  well  as  of  their  forefathers,  or 
the  races  which  preceded  them.  The  famous  Stone  of 
Sacrifice,  the  Calendar  of  Montezuma,  and  the  hideous 
idol  Teoyamique,  all  still  preserved,  attest  the  grotesque- 
ness  and  elaborate  fancy  of  their  designs.  The  latter 
image,  as  described  by  a  traveller,  "  is  hewn  out  of  one 
solid  block  of  basalt,  nine  feet  high.  Its  outlines  give  an 
idea  of  a  deformed  human  figure,  uniting  all  that  is  ter 
rible  in  the  tiger  and  rattle-snake.  Instead  of  arms,  it  is 
supplied  with  two  large  serpents,  and  its  drapery  is  com 
posed  of  wreathed  snakes,  interwoven  in  the  most  disgust 
ing  manner,  and  the  sides  terminating  in  the  wings  of  a 
vulture.  Its  feet  are  those  of  a  tiger,  and  between  them 
lies  the  head  of  another  rattle-snake,  which  seems  descend 
ing  from  the  body  of  the  idol.  For  decorations,  it  has  a 
large  necklace  composed  of  human  hearts,  hands,  and 
skulls,  and  it  has  evidently  been  painted  originally  in 


54  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

natural  colors."  Other  figures  of  the  deified  rattle-snake 
have  been  discovered. 

Great  skill  existed  in  the  art  of  pottery,  and  many  ves 
sels  of  exquisite  design  and  finish  have  been  disinterred. 

The  hieroglyphical  paintings  and  manuscripts  of  the 
Mexicans  were,  with  few  exceptions,  destroyed  by  their 
fanatical  conquerors.  Some  choice  specimens,  however, 
still  exist ;  principally  exhibiting  the  migrations  of  the 
Aztecs,  their  wars,  their  religious  ceremonies,  and  the 
genealogy  of  their  sovereigns.  Almanacs  and  other  cal 
endars  of  an  astronomical  nature  have  been  preserved. 
The  material  of  the  manuscript  consists  of  the  skins  of 
animals,  or  of  a  kind  of  vegetable  paper,  formed  in  a  man 
ner  similar  to  the  Egyptian  papyrus. 

Of  the  numerous  cities  and  temples  whose  remains  are 
so  abundant,  many  were,  doubtless,  erected  by  the  Aztec 
people,  whom  Cortez  found  so  numerous  and  flourishing, 
or  by  their  immediate  ancestors.  Others  were  probably 
constructed  at  a  remote  age,  and  by  a  people  who  had  at  an 
early  period  migrated  to  these  regions.  A  certain  resem 
blance,  however,  appears  to  pervade  them  all.  The  pres 
ence  of  enormous  pyramids  and  quadrangles,  the  peculiar 
construction  of  causeways  and  aqueducts,  and  the  great 
similarity  in  mythological  representation,  appear  to  indi 
cate  that  their  founders  were  originally  of  a  common  stock, 
and  all  of  certain  national  prepossessions. 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES.  55 

CHAPTER    III. 

ANTiaUITIES  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

(i  *     *     *     yre  are  but  where  we  Were, 
Still  wandering  in  a  City  of  the  Dead ! "  —  ROGERS. 

AT  the  Spanish  discovery,  South  America,  like  the 
Northern  continent,  was,  in  a  great  portion,  peopled  by 
half-savage  tribes,  resembling  the  Indians  of  our  own 
country.  Some  powerful  and  partially-civilized  kingdoms, 
however,  yet  survived,  and  of  these,  the  empire  of  the 
Peruvian  Incas  was  the  first.  Under  the  sway  of  these 
powerful  sovereigns  was  comprehended  an  extensive  dis 
trict,  lying  along  the  Pacific  coast  for  many  hundreds  of 
miles.  Other  nations,  in  their  vicinity,  of  whose  history 
we  are  ignorant,  also  possessed  a  considerable  share  of 
power  and  independent  government. 

The  antiquities  of  these  regions,  so  similar-  to  those  of 
the  Northern  continent,  appear  to  prove  a  similarity  of 
origin  in  their  founders.  Very  numerous  mounds  occur, 
some  of  them  two  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  containing 
relics  of  the  dead.  Urns  of  fine  construction,  and  human 
bodies  interred  in  a  sitting  posture,  have  been  excavated. 
Embalming  has  evidently  been  extensively  practised,  and 
in  many  instances  the  arid  nature  of  the  soil,  without  this 
precaution,  has  preserved  the  bodies  of  its  ancient  inhabit 
ants.  Caverns  appear  to  have  been  frequently  adopted 
as  cemeteries.  In  one  of  these,  six  hundred  skeletons 
were  found,  bent  double,  and  regularly  arranged  in  bas 
kets.  Stone  tombs,  of  a  very  massive  construction,  have 
also  been  disinhumed. 

In  these  mounds  and  graves  are  found  a  great  variety 
of  ancient  implements,  of  gold,  copper,  and  stone.  Ex 
quisite  carvings  in  stone,  and  jewels  evincing  great  skill  in 
4 


56  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  lapidary,  have  been  discovered.  The  idols  of  gold 
and  copper  are  often  of  singular  construction,  being  formed 
of  thin  plates  of  metal,  hammered  into  their  respective 
shapes,  without  a  single  seam.  Stone  mirrors  and  vases 
of  marble,  weapons,  domestic  utensils,  cotton  cloth  of  fine 
texture,  and  the  implements  of  ancient  mining,  have  also 
been  frequently  brought  to  light. 

The  system  of  ancient  agriculture  and  of  artificial  irri 
gation  appears  to  have  been  extremely  ingenious,  and  well 
adapted  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  climate,  reminding 
us  strongly  of  the  Chinese  industry  in  effecting  similar 
objects.  The  steepest  mountains  were  laid  out  in  terraces, 
and  aqueducts  of  the  most  solid  and  durable  construction 
conveyed  water  for  domestic  uses,  and  the  fertilization  of 
land.  In  some  instances,  the  pipes  of  these  aqueducts 
were  of  gold  —  a  circumstance  which  excited  the  cupidity 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  contributed  to  their  destruction. 

The  public  roads  and  causeways  laid  out  by  this  ancient 
people,  may  justly  compete  with  the  most  celebrated  works 
of  the  same  kind  in  the  old  world.  Their  Cyclopean  ar 
chitecture,  and  the  ingenuity  with  which  the  greatest  nat 
ural  difficulties  have  been  overcome,  excite  the  admiration 
of  travellers  and  inquirers.  "  We  were  surprised,"  says 
Humboldt,  "  to  find  at  this  place  (Assuay),  and  at  heights 
which  greatly  surpass  the  top  of  the  Peak  of  Tencriffe,  the 
magnificent  remains  of  a  road  constructed  by  the  Incas  of 
Peru.  This  causeway,  lined  with  freestone,  may  be  com 
pared  to  the  finest  Roman  roads  I  have  seen,  in  Italy, 
France,  or  Spain.  It  is  perfectly  straight,  and  keeps  the 
same  direction  for  six  or  eight  thousand  metres.  We  ob 
served  the  continuation  of  this  road  near  Caxamarca,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  leagues  to  the  south  of  Assuay,  and 
it  is  believed,  in  the  country,  that  it  led  as  far  as  the  city 
of  Cuzco."  When  complete,  it  extended  from  Cuzco  to 
Quito,  a  distance  of  five  hundred  leagues. 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES.  57 

"One  of  these  great  roads  passed  through  the  plains 
near  the  sea,  and  the  other  over  the  mountains  in  the  inte 
rior.  Augustin  de  Carate  says  that  for  the  construction 
of  the  road  over  the  mountains,  they  were  compelled  to 
cut  away  rocks,  and  to  fill  up  chasms,  often  from  ninety  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  deep,  and  that  when  it  was 
first  made,  it  was  so  plain  and  level,  that  a  carriage  might 
easily  pass  over  it ;  and  of  the  other,  which  pursued  a  less 
difficult  route,  that  it  was  forty  feet  wide,  and  as  it  was 
carried  through  valleys,  in  order  to  avoid  the  trouble  of 
rising  and  descending,  it  was  constructed  upon  a  high 
embankment  of  earth."* 

The  ruins  of  many  edifices,  all  of  massive  construction, 
and  all  bearing  the  marks  of  similarity  of  origin,  are  scat 
tered  throughout  a  great  expanse  of  country.  In  the  an 
cient  city  of  Tiahuanaco,  built  before  the  days  of  the 
Incas,  the  architecture  appears  to  have  been  of  the  most 
massive  character,  reminding  us  of  the  Cyclopean  struc 
tures  at  Baalbec  and  MycenaB.  Immense  porches  and 
doorways,  each  formed  of  a  single  stone,  and  supported 
on  masses  of  similar  magnitude,  struck  the  early  travel 
lers  with  astonishment.  In  Cuzco,  the  city  of  the  Incas, 
are  many  remains  of  a  singular  character.  The  walls  are 
built  of  stones  of  great  dimensions,  and,  though  of  many 
angles,  fitted  so  accurately  that  the  interstices  can  scarcely 
be  seen.  On  a  round  mountain  near  Caxamarca,  are  the 
extensive  ruins  of  a  city,  built  in  terraces,  and  constructed 
of  such  enormous  stones,  that  a  single  slab  often  forms  the 
entire  side  of  an  apartment.  Above  these  circular  ter 
races,  seven  in  number,  appear  the  remains  of  a  great  for 
tress  or  palace.  Many  cities  of  a  similar  construction 
have  been  discovered.  In  some  instances,  pointed  or  bell- 
shaped  roofs,  composed  of  stones  laid  in  cement,  have 

*  Bradford's  Origin  and  History  of  the  Red  Race. 


58  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

been  remarked.  Some  of  the  ruins  are  constructed  of 
unburnt  brick,  exceedingly  hardened  by  the  sun. 

Many  sculptures,  evincing  great  skill  and  delicacy,  still 
exist.  These  are  the  more  remarkable  when  it  is  consid 
ered  that  the  chief  instruments  of  the  ancient  inhabitants 
were,  probably,  for  the  most  part,  composed  only  of  hard 
ened  copper.  Of  this  material,  their  weapons,  often  of 
exquisite  manufacture,  were  composed.  Far  to  the  north 
ward,  beyond  the  dominion  of  the  Incas,  inscriptions  and 
figures  may  be  found  sculptured  on  the  rocks.  "  On  the 
banks  of  the  Orinoco,  and  in  various  parts  of  Guiana,  there 
are  rude  figures  traced  upon  granite  and  other  hard  stones, 
some  of  them,  like  those  in  the  United  States,  cut  at  an 
immense  height  upon  the  face  of  perpendicular  rocks. 
They  represent  the  sun  and  moon,  tigers,  crocodiles,  and 
snakes,  and  occasionally  they  appear  to  be  hieroglyphical 
figures,  and  regular  characters." 

The  surprising  number  of  these  ruins  and  relics,  and  the 
great  space  over  which  they  extend,  indicate  the  existence, 
for  many  ages,  of  a  people  possessing  all  the  power  which 
regular  government,  settled  institutions,  and  national  char 
acter  can  give.  "In  examining,"  says  Mr.  Bradford, 
"  the  line  of  civilization,  as  indicated  at  present  by  these 
ancient  remains,  which  is  found  to  commence  on  the  plains 
of  Varinas,  and  to  extend  thence  to  the  ruins  of  the  stone 
edifices,  which  were  observed  about  the  middle  of  the  last 
century,  on  the  road  over  the  Andes,  in  the  province  of 
Cujo,  in  Chili,  or  to  the  road  described  by  the  Jesuit 
ImonsfF,  or  to  the  ancient  aqueducts  upon  the  banks  of  the 
river  Maypocho,  in  south  latitude  thirty-three  degrees, 
sixteen  minutes,  we  are  surprised  to  discover  a  continuous, 
unbroken  chain  of  these  relics  of  aboriginal  civilization. 
Reverting  to  the  epoch  of  their  construction,  we  are  pre 
sented  with  the  astonishing  spectacle  of  a  great  race  culti 
vating  the  earth,  and  possessing  many  of  the  arts  diffused 


AMERICAN   ANTIQUITIES.  59 

at  an  early  period  through  an  immense  territory,  three 
thousand  miles  in  extent.  Even  up  to  the  time  of  the 
discovery,  most  of  this  vast  region  was  occupied  by  pop 
ulous  tribes,  who  were  dependent  upon  agriculture  for  sub 
sistence,  were  clothed,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  regular 
systems  of  religion,  and  their  own  peculiar  forms  of  gov 
ernment.  From  conquest,  and  various  causes,  some  sov 
ereignties  had  increased  more  rapidly  than  others ;  but 
still,  whether  we  are  guided  by  the  testimony  of  the  Span 
ish  invaders,  or  by  the  internal  evidence  yet  existent  in 
the  ancient  ruins,  it  is  impossible  not  to  trace,  alike  in 
their  manners,  customs,  and  physical  appearance,  and  in 
the  general  similitude  observable  in  the  character  of  their 
monuments,  that  they  were  all  members  of  the  same  fam 
ily  of  the  human  race,  and  probably  of  identical  origin." 


THE  ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO. 


CHAPTER    I. 

GENERAL  REMARKS.  — EXPEDITION  OF  GRIJALVA HERNANDO 

CORTEZ. 

The  Race  of  Yore  ; 
How  are  they  blotted  from  the  things  that  be ! "  —  SCOTT. 

THE  kingdoms  of  New  Spain,  as  Central  America  and 
the  adjoining  country  were  first  called,  presented  a  far 
different  aspect,  when  first  discovered  by  Europeans,  from 
that  of  the  vast  and  inhospitable  wilderness  at  the  North 
and  East.  Instead  of  an  unbroken  forest,  thinly  inhabited 
by  roving  savages,  here  were  seen  large  and  well-built 
cities,  a  people  of  gentler  mood  and  more  refined  manners, 
and  an  advancement  in  the  useful  arts  which  removed  the 
inhabitants  as  far  from  their  rude  neighbors,  in  the  scale 
of  civilization,  as  they  themselves  were  excelled  by  the 
nations  of  Europe. 

When  first  discovered  and  explored  by  Europeans,  Mex 
ico  was  a  kingdom  of  great  extent  and  power.  Montc- 
zuma,  chronicled  as  the  eleventh,  in  regular  succession,  of 
the  Aztec  monarchs,  held  supreme  authority.  His  domin 
ions  extended  from  near  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  to  the 
undefined  country  of  the  Ottomies  and  Chichimecas,  rude 
nations  living  in  a  barbarous  state  among  the  mountains 
of  the  North.  His  name  signified  <f  the  surly  (or  grave)r 
Prince,"  a  title  justified  by  the  solemn  and  ceremonious 
homage  which  he  constantly  exacted. 

(60) 


n  K  K  .VA  .\'  i>  <>    c  u  K  i  A:  /. . 

FROM    AN   ORIGINAL    I'uRTRAlT    BY    TITIAN 


'  v 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  63 

"When  the  Spaniards  first  appeared  on  the  coast,  the 
natural  terror  excited  by  such  unheard-of  conquerors  was 
infinitely  heightened  by  divers  portents  and  omens,  which 
the  magicians  and  necromancers  of  the  king  construed  as 
warnings  of  great  and  disastrous  revolutions.  This  occa 
sioned  that  strange,  weak,  and  vacillating  policy,  which, 
as  we  shall  hereafter  see,  he  adopted  towards  Cortez. 
Comets,  conflagrations,  overflows,  monsters,  dreams,  and 
visions,  were  constantly  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  royal 
council,  and  inferences  were  drawn  therefrom  as  to  the 
wisest  course  to  be  pursued. 

The  national  character,  religion  and  customs  of  the  Mex 
icans  presented  stranger  anomalies  than  have  ever  been 
witnessed  in  any  nation  on  the  earth.  They  entertained 
abstract  ideas  of  right  and  wrong,  with  systems  of  ethics 
and  social  proprieties,  which,  for  truth  and  purity,  com 
pare  favorably  with  the  most  enlightened  doctrines  of  civil 
ized  nations,  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  custom  of  human 
sacrifice  was  carried  to  a  scarcely  credible  extent,  and  ac 
companied  by  circumstances  of  cruelty,  filthiness,  and 
cannibalism,  more  loathsome  than  ever  elsewhere  disgraced 
the  most  barbarous  of  nations. 

A  vast  amount  of  labor  and  research  has  been  expended 
in  efforts  to  arrive  at  some  satisfactory  conclusion  as  to  the 
causes  which  led  to  the  Mexican  superiority  in  the  arts  of 
civilization  over  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  New  World. 
Analogies,  so  strong  as  to  leave  little  doubt  upon  the  mind 
that  they  must  be  more  than  coincidences,  were  found,  on 
the  first  discovery  of  the  country,  between  the  traditions, 
religious  exercises,  sculpture,  and  language  of  the  inhab 
itants  of  Central  America,  and  those  of  various  nations  in 
the  Old  World.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  great  distinctive 
difference  in  the  bodily  conformation  of  all  natives  of  the 
Western  Continent,  from  the  people  of  the  East,  proves 
sufficiently  that,  previous  to  the  Spanish  discoveries,  the 


64  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

time  elapsed  since  any  direct  communication  could  have 
existed  between  the  two,  must  have  been  very  great.  The 
obvious  antiquity  of  the  architectural  remains  carries  us 
back  to  a  most  remote  era :  some  maintain  that  portions 
of  these  must  have  been  standing  for  as  many  centuries  as 
the  great  pyramids  of  Egypt,  while  others  refer  them  to  a 
much  later  origin.  The  pernicious  habit  of  first  adopting 
a  theory,  and  then  searching  for  such  facts  only  as  tend  to 
support  it,  was  never  more  forcibly  exemplified  than  in  the 
variant  hypotheses  as  to  the  origin  of  Mexican  civilization. 

The  valley  and  country  of  Anahuac,  or  Mexico,  was 
successively  peopled,  according  to  tradition  and  the  evi 
dence  of  ancient  hieroglyphics,  by  the  Toltecs,  the  Chi- 
chimecas,  and  the  Nahuatlacas,  of  which  last-mentioned 
people,  the  Aztecs,  who  finally  obtained  the  ascendency, 
formed  the  principal  tribe.  These  immigrations  were  from 
some  indeterminate  region  at  the  north,  and  appear  to  have 
been  the  result  of  a  gradual  progression  southward,  as  traces 
of  the  peculiar  architectural  structures  of  the  Mexican  na 
tions  are  to  be  found  stretching  throughout  the  country 
between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  sea,  as  far  north  as 
the  Gila  and  Colorado. 

The  periods  of  these  several  arrivals  in  Anahuac  are  set 
down  as  follows.  That  of  the  Toltecs,  about  the  middle 
of  the  seventh  century,  and  of  the  rude  Chichimecas,  the 
year  1070.  The  Nahuatlacas  commenced  their  migrations 
about  1170,  and  the  Aztecs,  separating  themselves  from  the 
rest  of  the  nation,  founded  the  ancient  city  of  Mexico  in 
the  year  1325. 

The  tale  of  cruelties,  oppressions,  and  wholesale  destruc 
tion  attendant  upon  the  Spanish  invasion  and  conquest,  is  a 
long  one,  and  can  be  here  but  briefly  epitomized  ;  but  enough 
will  be  given  to  leave,  as  far  as  practicable,  a  just  impres 
sion  of  the  real  condition  of  these  primitive  nations,  and  the 
more  marked  outlines  of  their  history. 


MOJTTR  Z  UMJ3. 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  67 

In  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  eastern 
shore  of  Mexico  and  Central  America  had  been  explored 
by  Spanish  navigators  ;  and  Vasco  Nugnez  de  Balboa,  led 
by  the  ordinary  attraction  —  tales  of  a  country  rich  in  gold 
and  silver  —  had,  in  September,  1513,  crossed  the  isthmus 
to  the  great  and  unknown  ocean  of  the  West.  The  con 
dition  and  character  of  the  natives  was  but  little  noticed 
by  these  early  explorers,  and  no  motives  of  policy  or  human 
ity  restrained  them  from  treating  those  they  met  as  caprice 
or  fanaticism  might  dictate.  Balboa  is  indeed  spoken  of 
as  inclined  to  more  humane  courses  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  natives  than  many  of  his  contemporaries,  but  even  he 
showed  himself  by  no  means  scrupulous  in  the  means  by 
which  he  forced  his  way  through  the  country,  and  levied 
contributions  upon  the  native  chiefs. 

The  mind  of  the  Spanish  nation  was  at  last  aroused 
and  inflamed  by  accounts  of  the  wealth  and  power  of  the 
great  country  open  to  adventure  in  New  Spain,  and  plans 
were  laid  to  undertake  some  more  notable  possession  in 
those  regions  than  had  yet  resulted  from  the  unsuccessful 
and  petty  attempts  at  colonization  upon  the  coast. 

Diego  Valasquez,  governor  of  Cuba,  as  lieutenant  to 
Diego  Colon,  son  and  successor  of  the  great  admiral,  sent 
an  expedition,  under  command  of  Juan  de  Grijalva,  to 
Yucatan  and  the  adjoining  coast,  in  April  of  the  year  1518. 
After  revenging  former  injuries  received  from  the  natives 
of  Yucatan,  the  party  sailed  westward,  and  entered  the 
river  of  Tobasco,  where  some  intercourse  and  petty  traffic 
was  carried  on  with  the  Indians.  The  natives  were  rilled 
with  wronder  at  the  (t  make  of  the  ships,  and  difference  of 
the  men  and  habits,"  on  their  first  appearance,  and  "  stood 
without  motion,  as  deprived  of  the  use  of  their  hands  by 
the  astonishment  under  which  their  eyes  had  brought 
them." 

The  usual  propositions  were  made  by  the  Spanish  com- 


68  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

mander,  of  submission  to  the  great  and  mighty  Prince  of 
the  East,  whose  subject  he  professed  to  be  ;  but  "  they  heard 
his  proposition  with  the  marks  of  a  disagreeable  attention," 
and,  not  unnaturally,  made  answer  that  the  proposal  to 
form  a  peace  which  should  entail  servitude  upon  them  Avas 
strange  indeed,  adding  that  it  would  be  well  to  inquire 
whether  their  present  king  was  a  ruler  whom  they  loved 
before  proposing  a  new  one. 

Still  pursuing  a  westerly  course  along  the  coast,  Gri- 
jalva  gained  the  first  intelligence  received  by  the  Span 
iards  of  the  Emperor  Montezuma.  At  a  small  island 
were  found  the  first  bloody  tokens  of  the  barbarous  reli 
gious  rites  of  the  natives.  In  a  "  house  of  lime  and  stone  " 
were  "  several  idols  of  a  horrible  figure,  and  a  more  horri 
ble  worship  paid  to  them ;  for,  near  the  steps  where  they 
were  placed,  were  the  carcasses  of  six  or  seven  men, 
newly  sacrificed,  cut  to  pieces,  and  their  entrails  laid 
open." 

Reaching  a  low  sandy  isle,  still  farther  to  the  westward, 
on  the  day  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  Spaniards  named 
the  place  San  Juan,  and  from  their  coupling  with  this 
title  a  word  caught  from  an  Indian  seen  there,  resulted 
the  name  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa,  bestowed  upon  the  site 
of  the  present  great  fortress.  No  settlement  M'as  attempted, 
and  Grijalva  returned  to  Cuba,  carrying  with  him  many 
samples  of  native  ingenuity,  and  of  the  wealth  of  the 
country,  in  the  shape  of  rude  figures  of  lizards,  birds,  and 
other  trifles,  wrought  in  gold  imperfectly  refined. 

The  Cuban  governor,  Velasquez,  determined  to  pursue 
discoveries  and  conquest  at  the  west,  and  appointed  Her- 
nando  Cortcz,  a  Spanish  cavalier,  resident  upon  the  island, 
to  command  the  new  expedition.  That  the  reader  may 
judge  what  strange  contradictions  may  exist  in  the  char 
acter  of  the  same  individual, —  how  generosity  and  cupid 
ity,  mildness  and  ferocity,  cruelty  and  kindness,  may  be 


ABORIGINES    CI7   n^IIICO.  69* 

combined, — let  him  compare  the  after  conduct  of  this  cele 
brated  hero  with  his  character  as  sketched  by  the  historian. 

"  Cortez  was  well  made,  and  of  an  agreeable  counte 
nance  ;  and,  besides  those  common  natural  endowments, 
he  was  of  a  temper  which  rendered  him  very  amiable  ; 
for  he  always  spoke  well  of  the  absent,  and  was  pleasant 
and  discreet  in  his  conversation.  His  generosity  was 
such  that  his  friends  partook  of  all  he  had,  without  being 
suffered  by  him  to  publish  their  obligations." 

In  the  words  of  the  poet,  he 

"  *  Was  one  in  whom 

Adventure,  and  endurance,  and  emprise 
Exalted  the  mind's  faculties,  and  strung 
The  body's  sinews.     Brave  he  was  in  fight, 
Courteous  in  banquet,  scornful  of  repose, 
And  bountiful,  and  cruel,  and  devout." 

Hidalgos  of  family  and  wealth  crowded  eagerly  to  join 
the  fortunes  of  the  bold  and  popular  leader.  "  Nothing 
was  to  be  seen  or  spoken  of,"  says  Bernal  Diaz,  "but 
selling  lands  to  purchase  arms  and  horses,  quilting  coats  of 
mail,  making  bread,  and  salting  pork  for  sea  store." 

From  St.  Jago  the  fleet  sailed  to  Trinidad  on  the  southern 
coast,  where  the  force  was  increased  by  a  considerable 
number  of  men,  and  thence  round  Cape  Antonio  to 
Havana.  From  the  latter  port  the  flotilla  got  under 
weigh  on  the  10th  of  February,  1519.  It  consisted  of  a 
brigantine  and  ten  other  small  vessels,  whose  motley  crews 
are  thus  enumerated  :  "  five  hundred  and  eight  soldiers, 
sixteen  horse ;  and  of  mechanics,  pilots,  and  mariners, 
an  hundred  and  nine  more,  besides  two  chaplains,  the 
licentiate  Juan  Diaz,  and  Father  Bartholomew  De  Olmedo, 
a  regular  of  the  order  of  our  Lady  de  la  Merced,"  The 
missile  weapons  of  the  party  were  muskets,  cross-bows, 
falconets,  and  ten  small  field  pieces  of  brass.  The  color, 


70  INDIAN   KACE3   OF   AMERICA. 

• 
quality,  and  condition  of  each  of  the  horses  is  described 

with  great  particularity. 

The  first  land  made  was  the  island  of  Cozumel,  off  the 
coast  of  Yucatan.  One  of  the  vessels  reached  the  island 
two  days  before  the  rest ;  and  finding  the  habitations  of  the 
natives  abandoned,  the  Spaniards  ranged  the  country,  and 
plundered  their  huts  and  temple,  carrying  off  divers  small 
gold  images,  together  with  clothes  and  provisions. 

Cortez,  on  his  arrival,  strongly  reprehended  these  pro 
ceedings,  and,  liberating  three  Indians  who  had  been 
taken  prisoners,  sent  them  to  seek  out  their  friends,  and 
explain  to  them  his  friendly  intentions.  Their  confidence 
was  perfectly  restored  by  this  act,  and  by  the  restoration 
of  the  stolen  property  ;  so  that  the  next  day,  the  chief 
came  with  his  people  to  the  camp,  and  mingled  with  the 
Spaniards  on  the  most  friendly  terms. 

No  further  violence  was  offered  to  them  or  their  prop 
erty  during  the  stay  of  the  Spaniards,  except  that  these 
zealous  reformers  seized  the  idols  in  the  temple,  and  rolling 
them  down  the  steps,  built  an  altar,  and  placed  an  image 
of  the  Virgin  upon  it,  erecting  a  wooden  crucifix  hard  by. 
The  holy  father,  Juan  Diaz,  then  said  Mass,  to  the  great 
edification  of  the  wondering  natives. 

This  temple  was  a  well-built  edifice  of  stone,  and  con 
tained  a  hideous  idol  in  somewhat  of  the  human  form.  "  All 
the  idols,"  says  de  Solis,  "  worshipped  by  these  miserable 
people,  were  formed  in  the  same  manner ;  for  though  they 
differed  in  the  make  and  representation,  they  were  all  alike 
most  abominably  ugly  ;  whether  it  was  that  these  barbarians 
had  no  notion  of  any  other  model,  or  that  the  devil  really 
appeared  to  them  in  some  such  shape  ;  so  that  he  who 
struck  out  the  most  hideous  figure,  was  accounted  the  best 
workman." 

Seeing  that  no  prodigy  succeeded  the  destruction  of 
their  gods,  the  savages  were  the  more  ready  to  pay  attention 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  71 

to  the  teachings  which  were  so  earnestly  impressed  upon 
them  by  the  strangers,  and  appeared  to  hold  the  symbols 
of  their  worship  in  some  veneration,  offering  incense  before 
them,  as  erstwhile  to  the  idols. 

Cortez  heard  one  of  the  Indians  make  many  attempts 
to  pronounce  the  word  Castilla,  and,  his  attention  being 
attracted  by  the  circumstance,  he  pursued  his  inquiries 
until  he  ascertained  that  two  Spaniards  were  living  among 
the  Indians  on  the  main. 

He  immediately  used  great  diligence  to  ransom  and  re 
store  them  to  liberty,  and  succeeded  in  the  case  of  one  of 
them,  named  Jeroniino  de  Aguilar,  who  occupies  an  impor 
tant  place  in  the  subsequent  details  of  adventure.  The 
other,  one  Alonzo  Guerrero,  having  married  a  wife  among 
the  Indians,  preferred  to  remain  in  his  present  condition. 
He  said  to  his  companion,  "  Brother  Aguilar,  I  am  mar 
ried,  and  have  three  sons,  and  am  a  Cacique  and  captain  in 
the  wars  ;  go  you,  in  God's  name ;  my  face  is  marked,  and 
my  cars  bored ;  what  would  those  Spaniards  think  of  me 
if  I  went  among  them  ? " 

De  Solis  says  of  this  man,  that  his  natural  affection  was 
but  a  pretence  "  why  he  would  not  abandon  those  deplor 
able  conveniences,  which,  with  him,  weighed  more  than 
honor  or  religion.  We  do  not  find  that  any  other  Span 
iard,  in  the  whole  course  of  these  conquests,  committed 
the  like  crime  ;  nor  was  the  name  of  this  wretch  worthy 
to  be  remembered  in  this  history ;  but,  being  found  in  the 
writings  of  others,  it  could  not  be  concealed ;  and  his  ex 
ample  serves  to  show  us  the  weakness  of  nature,  and  into 
what  an  abyss  of  misery  a  man  may  fall  when  God  has 
abandoned  him." 

Poor  Aguilar  had  been  eight  years  a  captive  :  tattooed, 
nearly  naked,  and  browned  by  sun,  he  was  scarce  distin 
guishable  from  his  Indian  companions  ;  and  the  only  Cas- 
tilian  words  which  he  was  at  first  able  to  recall  were  "  Dios, 


iS  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Santa  Maria,"  and  "  Sevilla."  Still  mindful  of  his  old 
associations  and  religion,  he  bore  at  his  shoulder  the  tat 
tered  fragments  of  a  prayer  book. 

He  belonged  to  a  ship's  crew  who  had  been  wrecked 
on  the  coast,  and  was  the  only  survivor  of  the  number, 
except  Guerrero.  The  rest  had  died  from  disease  and 
over  work,  or  had  been  sacrificed  to  the  idols  of  the  coun 
try.  Aguilar  had  been  "  reserved  for  a  future  occasion 
by  reason  of  his  leanness,"  and  succeeded  in  escaping  to 
another  tribe  and  another  master. 

Cortez  sailed  with  his  fleet,  from  Cozumel,  for  the  river 
Tabasco,  which  was  reached  on  the  leSth  of  March,  1519. 
Urging  their  way  against  the  current,  in  the  boats  and 
smaller  craft,  —  for  the  principal  vessels  were  left  at  anchor 
near  the  mouth,  —  the  whole  armament  entered  the  stream. 
As  they  advanced,  the  Spaniards  perceived  great  bodies 
of  Indians,  in  canoes,  and  on  both  banks,  whose  outcries 
were  interpreted  by  Aguilar  to  be  expressions  of  hostility 
and  defiance.  Night  came  on  before  any  attack  was  made 
on  either  side.  Next  morning,  the  armament  recom 
menced  its  progress,  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  :  the  men, 
protected  as  well  as  possible  by  their  shields  and  quilted 
mail,  were  ordered  to  keep  silence,  and  offer  no  violence 
until  ordered.  Aguilar,  who  understood  the  language  of 
these  Indians,  was  commissioned  to  explain  the  friendly 
purposes  of  his  companions,  and  to  warn  the  natives  of 
the  consequences  that  would  result  from  their  opposition. 
The  Indians,  with  signs  of  great  fury  and  violence,  refused 
to  listen  to  him,  or  to  grant  permission  to  the  Spaniards 
to  supply  themselves  with  wood  and  water. 

The  engagement  commenced  by  a  shower  of  arrows 
from  the  canoes  on  the  river,  and  an  immense  multitude 
opposed  the  landing  of  the  troops.  Numbers  and  bravery 
could  not,  however,  avail  against  the  European  skill  and 
implements  of  warfare.  Those  in  the  canoes  were  easily 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  73 

driven  off,  and,  notwithstanding  the  difficulties  of  a  wet 
and  marshy  shore,  where  thousands  of  the  enemy  lay  con 
cealed  to  spring  upon  them  unawares,  the  Spanish  forces 
made  their  way  to  the  town  of  Tabasco,  driving  the  In 
dians  into  the  fortress,  or  dispersing  them  in  the  forest. 
Tabasco  was  protected  in  the  ordinary  Indian  style,  by 
strong  palisades  of  trees,  a  narrow  and  crooked  entrance 
being  left. 

Cortez  immediately  attacked  the  town,  and,  by  firing 
through  the  palisades,  his  troops  soon  drove  in  the  bow 
men  who  were  defending  them,  and,  after  a  time,  got  com 
plete  possession. 

The  town  was  obstinately  defended,  even  after  the  Span 
iards  had  effected  an  entrance.  The  enemy  retreated  be 
hind  a  second  barricade,  "fronting"  the  troops,  "valiantly 
whistling  and  shouting  ( al  calachioni,'  or  ( kill  the  cap 
tain.'  ':  They  were  finally  overpowered,  and  fled  to  the 
woods. 


CHAPTER    II. 

GREAT  BATTLES  WITH  THE  NATIVES. —  CONCILIATORY  INTERCOURSE. 
—  DONNA  MARINA. 

HITHERTO  a  blind  superstition,  by  which  supernatural 
powers  were  ascribed  to  the  whites,  had  quelled  the  vigor 
and  spirit  of  the  Indians  ;  but  an  interpreter  named  Mel- 
chorcjo,  whom  Cortez  had  brought  over  from  Cuba,  de 
serted  from  the  Spaniards  during  the  first  night  spent  in 
Tabasco,  and  urged  the  natives  to  another  engagement. 
He  explained  the  real  nature  of  the  mysterious  weapons, 
whose  flash  and  thunder  had  created  such  terror,  and  dis 
abused  the  simple  savages  of  the  ideas  entertained  by  them 
of  the  invulnerable  nature  of  their  foes.  They  proved  in 


74  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  subsequent  battles  much  more  dangerous  opponents 
than  before.  The  narrator  mentions,  with  no  little  satis 
faction,  the  fate  of  this  deserter.  His  new  allies,  it  seems, 
"  being  vanquished  a  second  time,  revenged  themselves  on 
the  adviser  of  the  war,  by  making  him  a  miserable  sacri 
fice  to  their  idols." 

All  was  as  still,  upon  the  succeeding  day,  as  if  the  coun 
try  was  abandoned  by  its  inhabitants ;  but  a  party  of  one 
hundred  men,  on  a  scout,  was  suddenly  surrounded  and 
attacked  by  such  hordes  of  the  enemy,  that  they  might 
have  been  cut  off  from  sheer  fatigue,  but  for  another  com 
pany  which  came  to  their  assistance.  As  the  Spaniards 
endeavored  to  retreat  to  the  camp,  the  Indians  would  rush 
upon  them  in  full  force,  "  who,  immediately  upon  their 
facing  about,  got  out  of  their  reach,  retiring  with  the  same 
swiftness  that  they  were  attacked  ;  the  motions  of  this 
great  multitude  of  barbarians  from  one  side  to  another, 
resembling  the  rolling  of  the  sea,  whose  waves  are  driven 
back  by  the  wind." 

Two  of  the  Spaniards  were  killed  and  eleven  wounded 
in  the  fray  :  of  the  Indians,  eighteen  were  seen  lying  dead 
on  the  field,  and  several  prisoners  were  taken.  From  these 
Cortez  learned  that  tribes  from  all  sides  were  gathered  to 
assist  those  of  Tabasco  in  a  general  engagement  planned 
for  the  next  day,  and  he  accordingly  made  the  most  dili 
gent  preparation  to  receive  them.  The  horses  were  brought 
on  shore,  and  care  was  taken  to  restore  their  animation, 
subdued  by  confinement  on  board  ship. 

As  soon  as  day  broke,  mass  was  said,  and  the  little  army 
was  put  in  motion  to  advance  upon  the  enemy.  They 
were  discovered,  marshalled  on  the  vast  plain  of  Cintia, 
in  such  numbers  that  it  was  impossible  to  compute  them. 
They  extended  so  far,  says  Solis,  "  that  the  sight  could  not 
reach  to  see  the  end  of  them."  The  Indian  warriors  were 
painted  and  plumed,  their  arms  were  bows  and  arrows, 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  75 

slings,  darts,  clubs  armed  with,  sharp  flints,  and  heavy 
wooden  swords.  The  bodies  of  the  leaders  were  protected 
by  quilted  coats  of  cotton,  and  they  bore  shields  of  tor 
toise-shell  or  wood,  mounted,  in  some  instances,  with  gold. 

To  the  sound  of  rude  drums,  and  the  blast  of  sea-shells 
and  large  flutes,  the  vast  crowd  fell  furiously  upon  the 
Spaniards,  and  although  checked  by  their  more  efficient 
weapons,  only  retired  to  a  convenient  distance  for  hurling 
stones  and  discharging  arrows.  The  field-pieces  mowed 
them  down  by  hundreds ;  but  concealing  the  havoc  by  rais 
ing  clouds  of  dust,  and  closing  up  their  ranks  with  shouts 
of  "  ala — lala  "  (the  precise  sound  of  the  Turkish  war-cry, 
viz.,  a  constant  repetition  of  the  word  Allah),  they  held 
their  ground  with  the  most  determined  courage. 

The  little  handful  of  cavalry,  which,  led  by  Cortez  in 
person,  had  made  a  detour  to  avoid  a  marsh,  now  fell  upon 
the  Indians  from  a  new  quarter,  and,  riding  through  and 
through  the  crowded  mass  of  savages,  so  bewildered  and 
amazed  them  that  they  fled  in  dismay.  No  such  animal 
as  the  horse  had  ever  before  been  seen  by  them.  They 
took  the  monsters,  says  Diaz,  for  centaurs,  supposing  the 
horse  and  his  rider  to  be  one. 

On  the  field  of  battle,  as  the  conquerors  passed  over  it, 
lay  more  than  eight  hundred  dead  or  desperately  wounded. 
But  two  of  the  Spaniards  were  killed,  although  seventy 
of  their  number  were  wounded  at  the  first  rush  of  the 
barbarians. 

The  victors  having  rendered  thanks  "  to  God  and  to  our 
Lady,  his  blessed  Mother,"  for  their  success,  dressed  their 
wounds,  and  those  of  the  invaluable  horses,  with  the  fat 
of  dead  Indians,  and  retired  to  refresh  themselves  by  food 
and  sleep. 

Lopez  de  Gomara  affirms  that  one  of  the  holy  apostles, 
under  the  form  of  Francisco  de  Morla,  appeared  upon  the 
field  during  this  bloody  engagement,  and  turned  the  scale 


76  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  victory.  Diaz  says,  "  It  might  be  the  case,  and  I,  sin 
ner  as  I  am,  was  not  permitted  to  see  it.  What  I  did  see 
was  Francisco  de  Morla,  in  company  with  Cortez  and  the 
rest,  upon  a  chestnut  horse.  But  although  I,  unworthy 
sinner  that  I  am,  was  unfit  to  behold  either  of  those  holy 
apostles,  upwards  of  four  hundred  of  us  were  present ;  let 
their  testimony  be  taken."  He  adds,  that  he  never  heard 
of  the  incident  until  he  read  of  it  in  Gomara's  history. 

Several  prisoners  were  taken  in  this  battle,  among  them 
two  who  appeared  to  be  of  superior  rank.  These  were 
dismissed  with  presents  and  favors,  to  carry  proposals  of 
peace  to  their  friends.  The  result  was  highly  satisfactory  : 
fifteen  slaves,  with  blackened  faces  and  ragged  attire,  "  in 
token  of  contrition,"  came  bringing  offerings.  Permission 
was  given  to  bury  and  burn  the  bodies  of  those  who  fell 
in  the  terrible  slaughter,  that  they  might  not  be  devoured 
by  wild  beasts  ("  lions  and  tigers,"  according  to  Diaz). 
This  duty  accomplished,  ten  of  the  caciques  and  principal 
men  made  their  appearance,  clad  in  robes  of  state,  and 
expressed  desire  for  peace,  excusing  their  hostility,  as  the 
result  of  bad  advice  from  their  neighbors,  and  the  persua 
sion  of  the  renegade  whom  they  had  sacrificed.  Cortez 
took  pains  to  impress  them  with  ideas  of  his  power  and 
the  greatness  of  the  monarch  he  served ;  he  ordered  the 
artillery  to  be  discharged,  and  one  of  the  most  spirited  of 
the  horses  to  be  brought  into  the  reception-room  :  "  it  being 
so  contrived  that  he  should  show  himself  to  the  greatest 
advantage,  his  apparent  fierceness,  and  his  action,  struck 
the  natives  with  awe." 

Many  more  chiefs  came  in  on  the  following  day,  bring 
ing  the  usual  presents  of  little  gold  figures,  the  material 
of  which  came,  they  said,  from  "  Culchua,"  and  from  "  Mex 
ico,"  words  not  yet  familiar  to  the  ears  of  the  Spaniards. 

Twenty  women  were,  moreover,  offered  as  presents,  and 
gladly  received  by  Cortez,  who  bestowed  one  upon  each 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  77 

of  his  officers.  They  were  all  duly  baptized,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  listening  to  a  discourse  upon  the  mysteries 
of  his  faith,  delivered  for  their  especial  benefit  by  Father 
Bartholomew,  the  spiritual  guide  of  the  invaders.  Know 
ing  nothing  of  the  language,  and  having  no  competent 
interpreter,  it  probably  made  no  very  vivid  impression; 
but  these  captives  were  set  down  as  the  first  Christian  wo 
men  of  the  country. 

Among  them  was  one  young  woman  of  remarkable 
beauty  and  intelligence,  whom  the  Spaniards  christened 
Marina.  She  was  said  to  be  of  royal  parentage,  but,  from 
parental  cruelty,  or  the  fortunes  of  war,  had  been  held  in 
slavery  at  a  settlement  on  the  borders  of  Yucatan,  where 
.a  Mexican  fort  was  established,  and  afterwards  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Tabascan  cacique.  She  spoke  both  the 
Mexican  language,  and  that  common  to  Yucatan  and 
Tabasco,  so  that  Cortez  was  able,  by  means  of  her  and 
Aguilar,  to  communicate  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  in 
terior,  through  a  double  interpretation,  until  Marina  had 
mastered  the  Spanish  tongue.  She  accompanied  Cortez 
throughout  his  eventful  career  in  Mexico,  and  had  a  son 
by  him,  who  was  made,  says  Solis,  "  a  Knight  of  St.  Jago, 
in  consideration  of  the  nobility  of  his  mother's  birth.'* 
Before  this  connection  she  had  been  bestowed  by  the  com 
mander  upon  one  Alonzo  Puerto  Carrero,  until  his  depart 
ure  for  Castile. 


78  INDIAN  KACES   OF   AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    III. 

COMMUNICATIONS  WITH  THE  MEXICAN  EMPEROR.  — THE  ZEMPOALLANS 
AND    QUIAVISTLANS. 

"  Thou  too  dost  purge  from  earth  its  horrible 
And  old  idolatries ;  —  from  their  proud  fanes 
Each  to  his  grave  their  priests  go  out,  till  none 
Is  left  to  teach  their  worship ! " 

BRYANT'S  Hymn  to  Death. 

BEFORE  his  departure  from  Tabasco,  Cortez  and  his 
priest  made  strenuous  efforts  to  explain  the  principles  of 
his  religion  to  the  chiefs  and  their  people.  This,  indeed, 
seems  really  to  have  been  a  purpose  uppermost  in  his 
heart  throughout  the  whole  of  his  bloody  campaign  ;  but, 
as  may  well  be  supposed,  the  subject  was  too  abstract,  too 
novel,  and  too  little  capable  of  proofs  which  appeal  to  the 
senses  and  inclinations,  to  meet  with  much  favor.  "  They 
only  complied,"  says  Solis,  "  as  men  that  were  subdued, 
being  more  inclined  to  receive  another  God  than  to  part 
with  any  of  their  own.  They  hearkened  with  pleasure, 
and  seemed  desirous  to  comprehend  what  they  heard  ;  but 
reason  was  no  sooner  admitted  by  the  will  than  it  was  re 
jected  by  the  understanding."  They  acknowledged  that 
"  this  must,  indeed,  be  a  great  God,  to  whom  such  valiant 
men  show  so  much  respect." 

From  the  river  Tabasco  the  fleet  sailed  direct  for  San 
Juan  de  Ulua,  where  they  were  no  sooner  moored  than 
two  large  piraguas,  with  a  number  of  Indians  on  board, 
came  boldly  alongside.  By  the  interpretation  of  Marina, 
Cortez  learned  that  these  came  in  behalf  of  Pitalpitoque 
and  Tendile,  governor  and  captain  of  the  district,  under 
Montezuma,  to  inquire  as  to  his  purposes,  and  to  make 
offers  of  friendship  and  assistance.  The  messengers  were 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  79 

handsomely  entertained,  and  dismissed  with  a  few  presents, 
trifling  in  themselves,  but  of  inestimable  value  in  their  un 
skilful  eyes. 

As  the  troops  landed,  Tendile  sent  great  numbers  of  his 
men  to  assist  in  erecting  huts  for  their  accommodation  ;  a 
service  which  was  rendered  with  remarkable  dexterity  and 
rapidity. 

On  the  morning  of  Easter-day,  the  two  great  officers 
came  to  the  camp  with  a  lordly  company  of  attendants. 
Not  to  be  outdone  in  parade,  Cortez  marshalled  his  sol 
diers,  and  having  conducted  the  chiefs  to  the  rude  chapel, 
Mass  was  said  with  due  ceremony.  He  then  feasted  them, 
and  opened  negotiations  by  telling  of  his  great  sovereign, 
Don  Carlos,  of  Austria,  (Charles  the  Fifth,)  and  express 
ing  a  desire  to  hold  communion  in  his  behalf  with  the 
mighty  Emperor  Montezuma. 

This  proposition  met  with  little  favor.  Tendile  urged 
him  to  accept  the  presents  of  plumed  cotton  mantles,  gold, 
&c.,  which  they  had  brought  to  offer  him,  and  depart  in 
peace.  Diaz  says  that  the  Indian  commander  expressed 
haughty  astonishment  at  the  Spaniard's  presumption. 
Cortez  told  them  that  he  was  fully  resolved  not  to  leave 
the  country  without  obtaining  an  audience  from  the  em 
peror  ;  but,  to  quiet  the  apprehension  and  disturbance  of 
the  Indians,  he  agreed  to  wait  until  a  message  could  be 
sent  to  the  court  and  an  answer  returned,  before  com 
mencing  further  operations. 

Painters,  whose  skill  Diaz  enlarges  upon,  now  set  to 
work  to  depict  upon  rolls  of  cloth,  the  portraits  of  Cor 
tez  and  his  officers,  the  aspect  of  the  army,  the  arms,  and 
other  furniture,  tke  smoke  poured  forth  from  the  cannon, 
and,  above  all,  the  horses,  whose  (t  obedient  fierceness ' 
struck  them  with  astonishment.  These  representations 
were  for  the  benefit  of  Montezuma,  that  he  might  learn 
more  clearly  than  he  could  by  verbal  report,  the  nature 


80  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  his  novel  visitants.  By  the  messengers,  Cortez  sent, 
as  a  royal  present,  a  crimson  velvet  cap,  with  a  gold 
medal  upon  it,  some  ornaments  of  cut  glass,  and  a  chair 
of  tapestry. 

Pitalpitoque  now  settled  himself,  with  a  great  company 
of  his  people,  in  a  temporary  collection  of  huts,  built  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Spanish  camp,  while  Ten- 
dile  attended  to  the  delivery  of  the  message  to  his  mon 
arch.  Diaz  says  that  he  went  to  the  royal  court,  at  the 
city  of  Mexico,  in  person,  being  renowned  for  his  swift 
ness  of  foot ;  but  the  most  probable  account  is  that  he 
availed  himself  of  a  regular  system  of  couriers,  established 
over  the  more  important  routes  throughout  the  empire. 
However  this  may  be,  an  answer  was  returned  in  seven 
days'  time,  the  distance  between  Mexico  and  San  Juan 
being  sixty  leagues,  by  the  shortest  road. 

With  the  messenger  returned  a  great  officer  of  the  court, 
named  Quintalbor,  who  bore  a  most  striking  resemblance 
to  Cortez,  and  one  hundred  other  Indians,  loaded  with 
gifts  for  the  Spaniards.  Escorted  by  Tendile,  the  em 
bassy  arrived  at  the  camp,  and,  after  performing  the  usual 
ceremony  of  solemn  salutations,  by  burning  incense,  &c., 
the  Mexican  lords  caused  mats  to  be  spread,  and  displayed 
the  gorgeous  presents  they  had  brought. 

These  consisted  of  beautifully  woven  cotton  cloths ; 
ornamental  work  in  feathers,  so  skilfully  executed  that 
the  figures  represented  had  all  the  effect  of  a  painting ; 
a  quantity  of  gold  in  its  rough  state  ;  images  wrought  or 
cast  in  gold  of  various  animals  ;  and,  above  all,  two  huge 
plates,  one  of  gold,  the  other  of  silver,  fancifully  chased 
and  embossed  to  represent  the  sun  and  moon.  Diaz  says 
that  the  golden  sun  was  of  the  size  of  a  carriage  wheel, 
and  that  the  silver  plate  was  still  larger. 

Proffering  these  rich  tokens  of  good  will,  together  with 
numerous  minor  articles,  the  chiefe  delivered  their  mon- 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  81 

arch's  mission.  Accompanied  by  every  expression  of 
good  will,  his  refusal  was  declared  to  allow  the  strangers 
to  visit  his  court.  Bad  roads  and  hostile  tribes  were  al 
leged  to  constitute  insuperable  difficulties,  but  it  was  hinted 
that  more  important,  though  unexplainable  reasons  existed 
why  the  interview  could  not  take  place. 

Cortez,  courteously,  but  firmly,  persisted  in  his  deter 
mination,  and  dismissed  the  ambassadors  with  renewed 
gifts ;  expressing  himself  content  to  await  yet  another 
message  from  Montezuma.  He  said  that  he  could  not, 
without  dishonoring  the  king,  his  master,  return  before 
having  personal  communication  with  the  emperor. 

Hfc,  meantime,  sent  a  detachment  farther  up  the  coast, 
with  two  vessels,  to  seek  for  a  more  convenient  and  healthy 
place  of  encampment  than  the  burning  plain  of  sand  where 
the  army  was  now  quartered. 

Montezuma  persisted  in  objections  to  the  advance  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  Cortez  being  equally  immovable  in  his 
determination  to  proceed,  the  friendly  intercourse  hither 
to  maintained  between  the  natives  and  their  guests  now 
ceased.  Tenclile  took  his  leave  with  some  ominous  threats, 
and  Pitalpitoque  with  his  people  departed  from  their  tem 
porary  domiciles. 

The  soldiers,  cut  off  from  their  former  supplies  of  pro 
vision,  and  seeing  nothing  but  danger  and  privation  in 
store  for  them,  began  to  rebel,  and  to  talk  of  returning 
home.  Cortez  checked  this  movement  by  precisely  the 
same  policy  that  was  resorted  to  by  Agamemnon  and  Ulys 
ses,  under  somewhat  similar  circumstances,  as  will  be  found 
at  large  in  the  second  book  of  the  Iliad,  line  110  et  seq. 

He  seemed  to  assent  to  the  arguments  of  the  spokesman 
of  the  malcontents,  and  proceeded  to  proclaim  his  purpose 
of  making  sail  for  Cuba,  but,  in  the  meantime,  engaged 
the  most  trusty  of  his  friends  to  excite  a  contrary  feeling 
among  the  troops.  The  effort  was  signally  successful :  the 


82  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

commander  graciously  consented  to  remain,  and  lead  them 
to  further  conquests,  expressing  his  great  satisfaction  in 
finding  them  of  such  bold  and  determined  spirit. 

About  this  time,  Bernal  Diaz  and  another  sentinel  being 
stationed  on  the  beach,  at  some  distance  from  the  camp, 
perceived  five  Indians  of  a  different  appearance  from  any 
hitherto  seen,  approaching  them  upon  the  level  sands. 
Diaz  conducted  them  to  the  general,  who  learned,  by 
Marina's  interpretation,  that  they  came  in  behalf  of  the 
cacique  of  Zempoala,  or  Cempoal,  to  proffer  the  services 
of  their  king  and  his  people.  This  tribe  held  the  Mexi 
cans  in  great  fear  and  detestation,  and  rejoiced  in  the  op 
portunity  now  presented  for  attempting  some  retaliation  for 
former  oppressions  and  injuries. 

The  exploring  expedition  had  discovered  a  desirable 
location,  at  the  town  of  Quiavistlan,  a  few  leagues  north 
of  the  encampment,  and  Cortez  concluded  to  move  thither 
immediately.  Before  taking  further  steps,  he  established 
himself  more  firmly  in  command  by  resigning  his  commis 
sion  under  Valasquez,  and  taking  the  vote  of  his  followers 
as  to  whether  he  should  be  their  captain.  This  being  set 
tled  to  his  satisfaction,  he  marched  for  Quiavistlan,  passing 
the  river  at  the  spot  where  Vera  Cruz  was  afterwards  built. 

Zempoalla  lay  in  his  route,4  and  there  the  army  was 
met  by  a  deputation  from  the  cacique,  he  being  too  cor 
pulent  to  come  in  person.  Sweet-smelling  flowers  were 
offered  as  tokens  of  friendship  to  the  Spanish  officers. 
The  town  was  well  built,  and  ornamented  with  shade- 
trees.  The  inhabitants  collected  in  innumerable  but  or 
derly  crowds  to  witness  the  entrance  of  the  cavalcade. 
The  "  fat  cacique  "  entertained  his  guests  handsomely, 
making  grievous  complaints  of  the  oppressions  and  ex 
actions  suffered  by  him  and  his  tribes  at  the  hands  of 
Montezuma's  officers.  He  had  been  subdued  by  the  great 
emperor,  and  was  now  his  unwilling  tributary. 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  83 

Quiavistlan  was  situated  upon  a  rocky  eminence,  up 
which  the  army  advanced,  prepared  to  crush  any  opposi 
tion  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants.  These,  however,  had 
mostly  fled  from  their  homes  on  the  approach  of  the  Span 
iards.  In  the  principal  square,  Cortez  was  met,  and  saluted 
with  J;he  usual  fumigations  of  incense,  by  fifteen  of  the 
chief  men  of  the  town.  They  excused  the  timidity  of 
their  people,  and  promised  that  they  should  immediately 
return,  as  no  injuries  were  intended  by  the  strangers. 

They  came  accordingly ;  the  chiefs,  together  with  the 
corpulent  cacique  of  Zempoalla,  being  borne  upon  litters. 
All  united  in  lamentations  over  the  cruel  state  of  degrada 
tion  and  servitude  to  which  they  were  subjected  by  the 
tyrant  Montezuma.  He  plundered  them  of  their  treasures, 
seized  and  carried  away  their  wives  and  daughters,  and 
sacrificed  no  small  number  of  them  to  his  gods. 

While  they  were  yet  consulting  and  Beseeching  assist 
ance  from  the  Spaniards,  the  whole  conclave  was  stricken 
with  terror  by  the  intelligence  of  the  arrival  of  five  royal 
emissaries  or  tax-gatherers.  These  stately  personages,  to 
whom  the  Quiavistlans  hastened  to  minister  with  cringing 
servility,  did  not  even  condescend  to  bestow  a  look  upon 
the  Spanish  officers.  "  They  were  dressed,"  says  Diaz, 
"  in  mantles  elegantly  wrought,  and  drawers  of  the  same, 
their  hair  shining,  and,  as  it  were,  tied  at  the  top  of  the 
head,  and  each  of  them  had  in  his  hand  a  bunch  of  roses, 
which  he  occasionally  smelt  to.  They  were  attended  by 
servants,  who  fanned  them,  and  each  of  whom  carried  a 
cord  and  a  hooked  stick." 

Calling  the  caciques  before  them,  these  dignitaries  re 
buked  them  for  entertaining  foreigners,  who  disregarded 
the  expressed  will  of  the  emperor,  and,  as  a  punishment 
for  the  contempt,  demanded  twenty  victims  for  sacrifice. 
Cortez,  being  informed  of  this,  advised  the  seizure  and 
imprisonment  of  these  emissaries  until  report  of  their  cru- 


84  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

cities  and  insolence  could  be  made  to  their  master.  The 
caciques,  accustomed  to  submission,  were  at  first  horror- 
stricken  at  the  proposal,  but  Cortez  persisting  boldly  and 
confidently  in  his  opinion,  they  went  to  the  other  extreme. 
The  five  magnates  were  placed,  says  Solis,  "  in  a  kind  of 
pillories,  used  in  their  prisons,  and  very  incommodious  ; 
for  they  held  the  delinquents  by  the  neck,  obliging  them 
continually  to  do  the  utmost  with  their  shoulders  to  ease 
the  weight,  for  the  freedom  of  breathing."  "  One  of  them, 
also,  being  refractory,  was  beaten  soundly." 

The  exultant  Quiavistlans  would  have  gone  still  farther, 
and  made  a  speedy  end  of  their  prisoners,  had  not  Cortez 
interfered.  Not  willing  to  give  immediate  offence  to  Mon- 
tezuma,  but  desirous  of  being  in  condition  at  any  moment 
to  pick  a  quarrel,  or  to  claim  the  rewards  and  considera 
tion  due  to  meritorious  services,  he  contrived  to  effect  the 
escape  of  two  of  these  lords,  charging  them  to  give  him 
all  credit  for  the  act  at  their  master's  court.  To  preserve 
the  other  three  from  destruction,  he  took  them  on  board 
one  of  his  vessels,  (the  fleet  having  come  round  by  sea) 
under  pretence  of  safe  keeping.  He,  none  the  less,  pro 
claimed  to  the  caciques,  his  allies,  that  they  should  there 
after  be  free  from  all  oppressions  and  exactions  on  the  part 
of  the  Mexican  authorities. 

The  army  was  now  set  to  work  at  the  foundation  of  a 
permanent  fortification  and  town.  By  the  willing  assist 
ance  of  the  natives,  the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz  rose  rapidly. 
To  excite  a  spirit  of  industry  and  emulation,  Cortez  com 
menced  the  work  of  digging  and  carrying  materials  with 
his  own  hands.  Thirty  caciques,  from  the  mountainous 
districts  of  the  Totonaques,  led  by  reports  of  Spanish  valor 
and  virtues,  came  in  to  offer  their  services  and  alliance. 
Their  followers  are  numbered  by  Herrera  (an  author  who 
speaks  too  confidently  of  particulars)  at  one  hundred  thou 
sand  men ;  wild  mountaineers,  but  bold  and  efficient. 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  85 

"While  all  hands  were  at  work  upon  the  new  town,  mes 
sengers  once  again  appeared  from  Montezuma.  His  anger, 
greatly  excited  by  the  first  reports  of  the  seizure  of  his 
officers,  had  been  mitigated  by  the  favorable  report  of  those 
who  had  been  allowed  to  escape ;  and  he  now  sent  two  of 
his  own  nephews,  accompanied  by  four  old  lords,  and  a 
splendid  retinue.  Acknowledgments  were  made  by  the 
embassy  for  the  service  rendered  by  Cortez  in  setting  the 
two  tax-gatherers  at  liberty  ;  but  he  was,  at  the  same  time, 
vehemently  requested  to  leave  the  country,  and  not  hin 
der,  by  the  respect  due  to  his  presence,  the  just  punish 
ment  of  the  rebels  with  whom  he  was  cohabiting.  He 
was  adjured  not  to  dream  of  making  further  progress 
towards  the  royal  court,  "  for  that  the  impediments  and 
dangers  of  that  journey  were  very  great.  On  which  point 
they  enlarged  with  a  mysterious  tediousness  ;  this  being 
the  principal  point  of  their  instructions." 

Cortez  replied  that  danger  and  difficulties  would  but 
give  zest  to  the  adventure,  for  that  Spaniards  knew  no 
fear,  and  only  sought  for  glory  and  renown.  He  enter 
tained  the  ministers  handsomely,  and  dismissed  them  with 
presents. 

The  Zempoalans  thought  that  the  friendship  cemented 
between  them  and  the  foreigners  could  not  be  taken  ad 
vantage  of  better  than  by  engaging  them  to  subdue  a 
neighboring  tribe,  whose  chief  town  was  called  Cingapa- 
cinga.  They  therefore  induced  Cortez,  by  pretending  that 
a  troublesome  Mexican  garrison  was  quartered  there,  to 
assist  them  in  conquering  the  country.  With  four  hun 
dred  Spaniards,  and  a  great  company  of  Zempoalans,  the 
Spanish  leader  entered  the  mountain  district  where  the 
enemy  was  to  be  sought.  As  the  army  approached  the 
town,  eight  old  priests,  in  black  and  hooded  robes,  like 
friars,  came  out  to  deprecate  his  anger.  These  function 
aries  presented,  as  usual,  the  most  disgusting  and  horrible 


86  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

appearance.  Their  long  hair  was  tangled  and  clotted  with 
human  blood,  which  it  was  a  part  of  their  rules  should 
never  be  washed  off,  and  their  persons  were  filthy,  loath 
some,  and  offensive  beyond  conception. 

Cortez  discovered  that  he  had  been  deceived,  as  no  Mex 
icans  were  in  the  vicinity,  but  he  put  a  good  face  on  the 
matter,  and  succeeded  in  making  a  peaceable  arrangement 
between  the  rival  tribes. 

Returning  to  Zempoala,  renewed  evidence  was  brought 
before  the  eyes  of  this  zealous  Catholic,  of  the  extent  to 
which  the  custom  of  human  sacrifice  was  carried  ;  and 
especially  of  the  sale  and  consumption  of  the  bodies  of 
the  victims  as  a  "  sacred  food."  He  therefore  concluded 
to  prostrate  the  idols,  and  set  up  the  insignia  of  the  true 
religion.  Long  and  earnest  harangues  failed  to  induce  the 
natives  to  perform  this  service  themselves  :  they  would  be 
cut  to  pieces,  they  said,  ere  they  would  be  guilty  of  such 
sacrilege.  The  soldiers  then  broke  up  and  destroyed  the 
images,  purged  the  temples,  and,  covering  the  bloody 
marks  of  pagan  worship  with  lime  and  plaster,  erected  an 
altar,  and  celebrated  the  rites  of  Catholicism.  As  no  prod 
igy  or  signal  vengeance  from  Heaven  followed  the  auda 
cious  act,  the  pliable  natives  seemed  readily  to  fall  in  with 
the  proposed  change,  and,  burning  the  fragments  of  their 
idols,  they  aped  the  posture  and  formula  of  the  devout 
Spaniards.  An  old  and  partially  disabled  soldier,  named 
Torres,  agreed  to  remain  as  keeper  of  the  newly-conse 
crated  temple,  on  the  departure  of  the  troops. 


ABORIGINES   OP  MEXICO.  87 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  MARCH  TO  TLASCALA.  —  OCCUPATION  OF  THE  CITY.  —  GREAT  MAS. 
SACRE  AT  CHOLULU.  —  ENTRANCE  INTO  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO,  AND 
INTERVIEW  WITH  MONTEZUMA.  —  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  TEMPLE, 
ETC. 

"  What  divine  monsters,  O  ye  gods,  are  these 
That  float  in  air,  and  fly  upon  the  seas ! 
Came  they  alive  or  dead  upon  the  shore  ?  " 

DRYDEN. 

THE  bold  and  adventurous  leader  of  the  Spaniards  now 
began  to  set  in  earnest  about  his  work  of  conquest.  He 
despatched  one  ship  direct  for  Spain,  to  obtain  a  confirma 
tion  from  the  sovereign  of  his  authority  in  New  Spain  ; 
and,  with  the  consent  of  most  of  his  companions,  dis 
mantled  and  sunk  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  that  all  might  be 
nerved  to  the  most  desperate  efforts  by  the  alternative  pre 
sented  them  of  death  or  complete  success. 

Leaving  a  garrison  at  the  coast  settlement,  he  com 
menced  his  march  into  the  interior,  accompanied  by  a  body 
of  Zempoalans.  The  Indians  of  Jalapa,  Socochima,  and 
Texucla,  offered  them  no  molestation,  and,  after  enduring 
great  hardships  in  the  passage  of  the  rugged  mountains, 
the  army  reached  Zocothlan. 

Near  the  religious  temples  of  this  town,  Diaz  affirms, 
with  repeated  asseverations,  that  he  saw  human  skeletons, 
so  orderly  arranged,  that  their  numbers  could  be  computed 
with  certainty,  and  that  they  could  not  have  amounted  to 
less  than  one  hundred  thousand.  Beside  these  were  huge 
piles  of  skulls  and  bones :  other  remnants  of  mortality 
were  hung  from  beams.  Three  priests  had  charge  of 
these  relics. 

Contrary  to  the  advice  of  the  cacique  of  this  province, 


88  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Cortez  determined  to  pass  through  the  country  of  Tlascala, 
whose  inhabitants  were  inimical  to  Montezuma. 

Four  Zempoalan  Indians,  decked  out  in  the  style  deemed 
suitable  for  ambassadors,  and  bearing  arrows,  feathered 
with  white,  and  carried  point  downwards,  in  token  of  a 
peaceful  mission,  were  sent  to  wait  on  the  Tlascalan  au 
thorities.  They  were  received  with  respect  by  the  senate 
or  chief  council,  whose  members  were  ranged  in  order,  in 
a  great  hall,  seated  upon  low  chairs,  each  made  from  a 
single  block  of  some  remarkable  wood. 

Great  debate  ensued  as  to  whether  the  strangers  should 
be  permitted  to  pass  through  the  country.  On  the  one 
hand,  ancient  prophecies  were  cited  of  an  invincible  race 
that  should  come  from  the  East.  The  remarkable  fulfil 
ment  in  the  landing  of  these  white  men,  of  many  attend 
ant  circumstances  foretold,  touching  the  ships,  arms,  and 
valor  of  the  invaders,  was  enlarged  upon,  and  it  was  pro 
nounced  madness  to  cope  with  them.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  was  suggested  that  the  Spaniards  might  be  nothing  bet 
ter  than  "  monsters  flung  up  by  the  sea  upon  the  coasts," 
and,  if  not,  that  their  sacrilege  and  cruelties  forbade  the 
idea  that  they  could  be  other  than  evil  and  avaricious  bar 
barians,  who  should  be  crushed  as  noxious  reptiles. 

It  was  concluded  to  try  the  strength  of  the  whites,  and, 
if  they  could  not  be  resisted,  tbe  assault  should  be  attrib 
uted  to  the  intractability  of  the  Ottomies,  a  nation  of  rude 
and  warlike  mountaineers. 

The  result  might  readily  be  foreseen  :  no  force,  how 
ever  overwhelming  in  numbers,  could  resist  the  firearms, 
the  discipline,  and  more  especially  the  horses  of  the  Span 
iards.  These  animals  ("  supernatural  or  monstrous  in 
their  imagination  ")  so  terrified  the  Indians,  that  they  trod 
one  another  under  foot  in  efforts  to  escape  from  the  rush 
of  the  little  corps  of  cavalry.  In  several  engagements, 
although  under  advantageous  circumstances,  as  in  ambus- 


%  ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  89 

cades  and  night  attacks,  the  Tlascalans  were  routed,  and 
vast  numbers  of  their  warriors  were  slaughtered.  Cortez, 
to  strike  further  terror,  cut  off  the  hands  or  thumbs  of 
fourteen  or  fifteen  captives,  and  sent  them  to  their  own 
people  to  report  what  manner  of  men  he  and  his  followers 
were. 

Montezuma,  hearing  of  these  successes,  sent  more  mes 
sengers  to  endeavor  to  persuade  Cortez  not  to  make  further 
advance,  and  at  the  same  time  to  obstruct  the  conclusion 
of  a  peace  between  him  and  the  Tlascalans.  These  efforts 
failed  signally:  Xicotencal,  the  general  of  the  opposing 
forces,  in  behalf  of  the  town  and  nation,  made  an  amicable 
settlement  of  difficulties  with  the  Spaniards. 

With  great  pomp  and  ceremony,  Cortez  marched  his 
army  into  the  town  of  Tlascala,  on  the  23d  of  September, 
(1519).  The  situation  of  the  place  was  rugged  and  moun 
tainous,  giving  the  streets  great  irregularity ;  but  the  build 
ings  were  substantial,  and  the  fortifications  massive.  Here 
the  army  tarried  twenty  days,  and  then  marched  for  Cho- 
lula,  a  great  city,  entirely  subject  to  the  emperor.  Before 
they  set  out,  Montezuma  had  again  sent  heralds  to  an 
nounce  his  final  consent  to  a  meeting,  and  that  quarters 
for  the  Spanish  troops  should  be  made  ready  at  Cholula. 

Several  thousand  Tlascalans,  armed  and  equipped,  volun 
tarily  offered  their  services,  and  the  whole  army  reached 
Cholula  without  molestation.  Here  the  magnates  of  the 
town  met  them,  objecting  to  the  entrance  of  the  Indian 
allies,  as  they  had  been  enemies  of  the  nation ;  and  it  was 
agreed  that  the  Spaniards  and  Zempoalans  alone  should 
be  quartered  in  the  city,  while  the  rest  should  encamp  in 
the  suburbs.  Here  were  seen  evidences  of  greater  wealth, 
and  higher  attainments  in  architectural  skill,  than  at  any 
place  before  visited.  The  caciques  appeared  friendly,  and 
furnished  provisions  for  the  troops  for  several  days ;  but 
finally  discontinued  both  their  visits  and  supplies.  This 


90  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA.          0 

aroused  the  suspicious  of  Cortez,  and  he  determined  to 
maintain  the  utmost  vigilance. 

At  this  juncture  an  old  woman  of  rank  came  to  Marina, 
for  whom  she  had  contracted  great  friendship,  and  begged 
her  to  forsake  the  Spaniards,  and  come  to  live  with  her 
and  her  friends.  Marina,  ever  on  the  watch  to  serve  her 
lord  and  master,  pretended  compliance,  and,  by  judicious 
questions,  elicited  from  the  old  woman  all  the  particulars 
of  a  formidable  plot  for  the  destruction  of  the  Spaniards. 
Montezuma  had  sent  twenty  thousand  men  into  the  vicin 
ity,  part  of  whom  were  already  secretly  brought  within  the 
walls ;  pitfalls  with  sharp  stakes  at  the  bottom  had  been 
prepared  in  the  principal  highways  for  the  destruction  of 
the  horses;  and  stones  were  piled  on  the  roofs  of  the 
houses  to  hurl  down  upon  the  devoted  army.  Diaz  says : 
"  The  recompense  which  they  intended  for  our  holy  and 
friendly  services  was  to  kill  us  and  eat  us,  for  which  pur 
pose  the  pots  were  already  boiling,  and  prepared  with  salt, 
pepper,  and  tomatas."  Seven  human  victims  had  been 
sacrificed  to  propitiate  the  favor  of  the  gods,  and  it  was 
purposed  to  devote  twenty  of  the  Spaniards  to  tha*.  same 
fate,  as  soon  as  they  could  be  secured. 

All  these  things  were  confirmed  by  a  searching  exami 
nation  of  some  of  the  caciques,  who,  surprised  at  the  super 
natural  penetration  of  the  Spaniards,  confessed  the  whole, 
but  attributed  it  entirely  to  Montezuma.  With  his  usual 
duplicity,  Cortez  spoke  of  this  conspiracy  in  confidence  to 
the  ambassadors  from  the  court,  pretending  that  he  had  no 
suspicion  of  the  part  Montezuma  had  taken.  He  then 
gave  public  orders  for  marching  on  the  ensuing  day,  in 
order  to  precipitate  the  hostile  movement,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  had  all  his  plans  arranged  for  battle,  and  intelligence 
conveyed  to  his  Tlascalan  troops  to  be  ready  to  assist  him 
at  the  dawning  of  day. 

With  the  first  light  all  was  in  motion ;  the  Cholulans 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  91 

appointed  to  carry  the  baggage,  and  those  who  came  armed 
on  pretence  of  acting  as  a  guard,  but,  in  reality,  to  fall 
upon  the  rear  of  the  army,  poured  into*  the  great  square. 
At  a  given  signal  from  Cortez,  a  horrible  massacre  was 
commenced,  which  continued  for  two  days.  The  Tlasca- 
lans  of  the  party,  reenforced  by  multitudes  from  their  own 
town,  who  came  at  the  first  news  of  the  attack,  ravaged 
and  plundered  the  city  with  unrestrained  barbarity.  Cor 
tez  at  last  checked  these  outrages,  and  compelling  such  of 
the  plunder  and  prisoners  as  he  could  discover  to  be  deliv 
ered  up,  proclaimed  peace  and  general  amnesty.  He  set 
free  the  unfortunate  prisoners,  who  were  confined  in  cages 
to  be  fattened  for  sacrifice,  and  vainly  endeavored  to  con 
vince  the  priests  and  people  of  the  enormity  of  their  reli 
gious  rites  and  the  truth  of  his  own  doctrines. 

Cholula  was  one  of  the  most  noted  cities  of  Mexico, 
both  for  its  beauty  of  situation  and  structure,  and  its  posi 
tion  as  the  head-quarters  of  the  religion  of  the  country. 
The  immense  hill  or  temple  of  sacrifice  has  ever  been  the 
subject  of  admiration  and  astonishment  to  all  beholders. 

Montezuma  dared  no  longer  openly  oppose  the  advance 
of  the  Spaniards.  The  terror  of  their  arms  and  the  gloomy 
prognostications  of  the  priests  cowed  and  subdued  his  spirit, 
and  he  sent  messengers  with  gifts  and  invitations  to  Cortez 
to  visit  his  court.  The  general  impression  constantly  gained 
ground  among  the  Mexicans  that  these  white  men  must  be 
"  Teules,"  or  supernatural  beings,  against  whom  it  were 
hopeless  openly  to  contend. 

Fourteen  days  after  the  arrival  at  Cholula,  the  army 
was  again  put  in  motion.  The  Zempoalans  were  dis 
missed  at  their  own  request,  and  their  places  were  supplied 
by  Tlascalans,  who  were  ready  by  thousands  to  share  the 
danger  and  profit  of  the  expedition.  On  the  march  over 
the  rough  mountainous  district  through  which  lay  their 
path,  strong  bodies  of  Mexicans  had  been  placed  in  am- 
6 


92  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

bush  by  the  order  of  the  king,  but  their  hearts  failed  them 
on  the  approach  of  the  invaders.  Cortez  reached  Chalco, 
near  the  imperial  oity,  not  only  without  serious  opposition, 
but  with  his  forces  increased  by  as  many  natives  of  the 
provinces  through  which  he  passed,  as  he  chose  to  enlist 
under  his  banners.  Enchantments  and  conjurations,  to 
which  Montezuma  applied  himself,  with  his  whole  corps 
of  magicians,  proved  as  ineffectual  as  his  armies  to  arrest 
the  enemy.  It  was  still  his  purpose  and  hope,  as  the  in 
vaders  well  knew,  to  overwhelm  and  destroy  them  at  a 
disadvantage,  when  they  should  enter  his  city. 

The  Spaniards  reached  Iztapalapa,  on  the  great  lake  in 
which  the  city  of  Mexico  was  built,  without  further  blood 
shed,  except  the  destruction  of  a  few  poor  Indians  who 
approached  "  too  near  "  the  encampment  at  Amemeca,  prob 
ably  from  motives  of  curiosity.  The  lord  of  Tezcuco,  upon 
the  north-eastern  border  of  the  lake,  a  nephew  of  the  em 
peror,  visited  them  on  their  route  with  solemn  ceremony. 

Iztapalapa  was  built  partly  in  the  lake,  although  the 
receding  waters  have  left  the  site  mostly  dry.  The  appear 
ance  of  the  place  was  truly  Venetian.  Over  the  broad 
expanse  of  water  were  seen  the  towers  and  buildings  of 
numerous  towns,  at  beholding  which,  together  with  the 
great  causey  which  led  to  the  island  city,  the  Europeans, 
in  the  words  of  Diaz,  "  could  compare  it  to  nothing  but 
the  enchanted  scenes  read  of  in  Amadis  of  Gaul,  from  the 
great  towers  and  temples  and  other  edifices  of  lime  and 
stone  which  seemed  to  rise  out  of  the  water."  "  Never 
yet,"  he  adds,  "  did  man  see,  hear,  or  dream  of  any  thing 
equal  to  the  spectacle  which  appeared  to  our  eyes  011  this 
day." 

The  lords  of  the  city  assigned  splendid  buildings  of 
stone  for  the  troops  to  quarter  in  ;  and  such  was  their 
astonishment  at  the  perfection  of  the  architectural  skill  dis 
played  in  the  palaces ;  the  beauty  of  the  gardens ;  the 


ABORIGINES   OP   MEXICO.  93 

alleys  of  fruit  and  aromatic  trees  ;  the  fountains,  aqueducts, 
and  artificial  pools  ;  and  the  vast  concourse  of  curious  na 
tives,  crowding  the  street  and  causey  to  gaze  on  the  novel 
sight,  or  skimming  the  water  in  their  light  canoes,  that 
"  to  many  it  appeared  doubtful  whether  they  were  asleep 
or  awake." 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  November,  1519,  Cortez 
led  his  followers  over  the  main  causey  into  the  imperial 
city.  A  great  deputation  of  nobles  and  officers  came  out 
to  meet  him,  and  escorted  the  army  into  the  city.  The 
streets  were  empty,  that  the  ceremony  of  the  royal  audi 
ence  might  not  be  impeded ;  but  windows  and  balconies 
were  thronged  with  eager  spectators. 

Montezuma  now  appeared,  borne  in  a  glittering  palan 
quin,  and  accompanied  by  his  chief  officers,  magnificently 
adorned,  and  displaying  in  their  downcast  looks  and  silent 
obsequiousness  the  reverence  in  which  they  held  their 
monarch.  As  he  dismounted  and  walked  to  meet  Cortez, 
leaning  on  his  relatives,  the  lords  of  Tezcuco  and  Iztapa- 
lapa,  attendants  spread  carpets  before  him. 

With  unheard-of  condescension  and  expression  of  re 
spect,  the  king  saluted  the  Spanish  commander  in  Mexican 
style,  stooping  and  touching  the  ground  with  his  hand, 
and  then  raising  it  to  his  lips.  He  wore  a  robe  of  fine 
cotton,  adorned  with  gems,  golden  sandals,  and  a  light 
crown  of  gold  supporting  the  ornamental  circle  of  plumes, 
esteemed  the  most  graceful  head-dress.  He  was  about 
forty  years  of  age,  of  light  complexion,  and  of  majestic 
aspect  and  demeanor. 

Cortez  advanced,  and  placing  a  showy  necklace  round 
the  monarch's  neck,  would  have  embraced  him,  but  was 
gently  restrained  by  the  attendant  lords  —  such  familiarity 
being  deemed  unsuitable  to  their  sovereign's  greatness. 

After  mutual  friendly  speeches,  the  whole  throng  pro 
ceeded  to  the  palaces  set  apart  for  the  Spaniards'  use,  and 


94  INDIAN    RACES    OP    AMERICA. 

Montezuma,  leading  Cortez  by  the  hand,  conducted  him  to 
his  apartment,  and  placed  about  his  neck  a  golden  collar. 

During  the  week  succeeding  the  entry  into  Mexico,  cere 
monious  visits  were  interchanged  by  Cortez  and  the  em 
peror.  The  Mexican  prince  conducted  his  guests  through 
the  royal  palaces  and  gardens,  and,  in  their  company, 
visited  the  great  temple  of  sacrifice.  The  historians  of 
that  day  can  find  no  language  strong  enough  to  express 
the  wonder  and  admiration  which  the  magnificent  spec 
tacle  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  Spanish  beholders.  The 
pomp  and  state  of  the  monarch ;  his  crowd  of  obsequious 
attendants  ;  his  pleasure  houses,  aqueducts,  fountains,  and 
gardens  of  odoriferous  shrubs  ;  the  extent  of  his  wealth  in 
jewels  and  the  precious  metals ;  his  store  of  arms,  and  the 
number  of  his  skilful  artisans,  are  described  and  enlarged 
upon  at  great  length. 

It  remains  to  this  day  a  matter  of  astonishment  that 
such  huge  buildings  of  hewn  stone,  as  every  where  met 
the  eye  in  the  ancient  city,  could  have  been  erected  with 
out  the  use  of  iron.  Copper,  hardened  by  an  alloy  of  tin, 
was  the  only  metal  of  which  the  tools  were  made  by  which 
the  hard  rock  was  laboriously  shaped. 

The  indignation  and  horror  excited  by  the  bloody  reli 
gious  rites  of  the  country,  led  Cortez  to  strive  continually 
to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  his  host  the  folly  and  absurd 
ity  of  his  religion.  The  only  good  effect  that  is  said  to 
have  resulted  from  these  arguments  was  the  abandonment, 
on  the  part  of  the  king,  of  the  custom  of  having  human 
flesh  set  upon  his  own  table. 

The  principal  temple  is  minutely  described,  and  must, 
indeed,  have  presented  a  singular  scene  of  horror  and 
magnificence.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  wall,  faced  with 
wreathed  serpents,  carved  in  stone,  the  gateways  to  which 
were  surmounted  with  statues.  The  roof  of  the  main 
building  was  flat,  and  paved  with  beautifully  polished 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  95 

stones ;  and  thereon  appeared  two  hideous  idols,  seated 
upon  thrones  of  state,  in  all  the  splendor  of  barbaric  orna 
ment  ;  while  before  them  stood  the  terrible  stone  of  sacri 
fice.  This  was  a  green  mass  of  rock,  five  spans  high, 
presenting  a  sharp  angle  at  the  top,  over  which  the  miser 
able  victims  were  stretched,  while  the  priest  gashed  open 
the  living  body  with  a  rude  knife  of  flint,  and  tore  out  the 
palpitating  heart.  "  I  devoted  them  and  all  their  wick 
edness,"  says  Diaz,  "to  God's  vengeance,  and  thought' 
that  the  time  would  never  arrive  that  I  should  escape  from 
this  scene  of  human  butchery,  horrible  smells,  and  more 
detestable  sights."  He  tells  of  an  apartment  filled  with 
wild  animals  and  venomous  reptiles,  who  were  fed  with 
the  sacrificial  flesh.  Of  these,  the  most  dangerous  serpents 
had  "in  their  tails  somewhat  that  sounds  like  castanets." 
"  These  beasts  and  horrid  reptiles  were  retained  to  keep 
company  with  their  infernal  gods,  and  when  these  animals 
yelled  and  hissed,  the  palace  seemed  like  hell  itself." 
From  this  elevation,  a  beautiful  view  was  obtained  of  the 
whole  of  the  great  salt  lake  in  which  the  city  stood,  the 
towns  of  the  vicinity,  the  long  and  well-built  causeys 
connecting  them,  and  the  magnificent  mountains  beyond. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  relate  the  ceremonies  of  the  royal 
court,  although  many  of  them  are  singular,  and  well  worth 
the  examination  of  those  who  would  obtain  a  complete 
knowledge  of  a  time  and  people  varying  so  widely  from 
any  thing  now  known  on  earth.  Among  Montezuma's 
means  of  luxury  or  relaxation,  were  the  habits  of  smoking 
tobacco,  drinking  a  fermented  liquor  of  no  little  potency, 
and  listening  to  the  remarks  of  a  set  of  buffoons  whom  he 
kept  about  him,  in  the  same  capacity  as  that  of  the  court- 
fools  of  a  past  age  in  Europe. 

An  analogy  to  rites  and  customs  of  the  Old  World, 
no  less  striking,  was  noticed  in  many  of  the  popular  reli 
gious  observances.  "  It  should  seem  that  the  Devil,"  as 


96  ^NDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

De  Soils  has  it,  "  the  inventor  of  these  rites,  was  ambitious 
to  imitate  baptism  and  circumcision,  with  the  same  pride 
with  which  he  endeavored  to  counterfeit  the  other  ceremo 
nies,  and  even  the  sacraments  of  the  Catholic  church; 
since  he  introduced  among  these  barbarians  the  confession 
of  sins,  giving  them  to  understand  that  thereby  they  ob 
tained  the  favor  of  their  gods.  He  instituted  likewise  a 
ridiculous  sort  of  communion,  which  the  priests  adminis 
tered  upon  certain  days  in  the  year,  dividing  into  small 
bits  an  idol  made  of  flour,  mixed  up  into  a  paste  with 
honey,  which  they  called  the  God  of  Penitence"  —  "  Nay, 
they  even  gave  their  chief  priests  the  title  of  Papas  in 
their  language ;  by  which  we  find  that  this  imitation  cost 
Satan  a  very  particular  study  and  application." 

Marriages  were  performed  by  the  priest's  tying  the  veil 
of  the  woman  to  a  portion  of  the  man's  dress,  after  certain 
prescribed  preliminaries.  In  this  guise  the  pair  walked 
home  together,  and  concluded  the  ceremony  by  pacing 
seven  times  round  the  domestic  hearth.  Divorces  were  at 
the  discretion  of  the  parties,  and  when  they  took  place,  the 
sons  belonged  to  the  man,  the  daughters  to  the  woman. 
Hasty  separations  were  guarded  against  by  a  provision  that, 
should  they  again  cohabit  after  having  once  broken  the 
bond  of  union,  both  should  be  put  to  death.  In  some  in 
stances,  on  the  death  of  the  husband,  his  wife  would  im 
molate  herself,  according  to  the  custom  until  recently  so 
prevalent  in  India. 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  97 


CHAPTER    Y. 

SEIZURE  AND  IMPRISONMENT  OF  MONTEZUMA.  — EXECUTION  OF  dUAL- 
POPOCA  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS.  —  OMINOUS  PROSPECTS.  — EXPEDITION 
OF  PAMPHILO  DE  NARVAEZ.  —  SUCCESS  OF  CORTEZ  AGAINST  HIM.— 
RETURN  TO  MEXICO.  — OUTRAGE  BY  ALVARADO,  AND  CONSEQUENT 
TROUBLES.  — DEATH  OF  MONTEZUMA.  — THE  "NOCHE  TRISTE."  — 
BATTLE  OF  OBTUMBA,  AND  ARRIVAL  AT  TLASCALA. 

"  And  sounds  that  mingled  laugh,  and  shout,  and  scream, 
To  freeze  the  blood  in  one  discordant  jar, 
Rung  to  the  pealing  thunderbolts  of  war." 

CAMPBELL. 

CORTEZ  was  not  yet  satisfied ;  he  felt  his  situation  to  be 
precarious,  and  that  his  object  would  not  be  fully  accom 
plished  until  he  had  acquired  complete  mastery  over  the 
inhabitants  of  the  imperial  city.  While  he  was  on  his 
march  to  Mexico,  Juan  de  Escalente,  commander  of  the 
garrison  left  at  Vera  Cruz,  had,  with  six  other  Spaniards, 
perished  in  a  broil  with  the  natives.  One  soldier  was  taken 
prisoner,  but  dying  of  his  wounds,  his  captors  carried  his 
head  to  Montezuma.  The  trophy  proved  an  object  of  ter 
ror  to  the  king,  who  trembled  as  he  looked  on  the  marks 
of  manly  strength  which  its  contour  and  thick  curled 
beard  betokened,  and  ordered  it  from  his  presence. 

Cortez  knew  of  these  events  when  at  Cholula,  but  had 
kept  them  concealed  from  most  of  his  people.  He  now 
adduced  them,  in  select  council  of  his  officers,  as  reason  — 
with  other  matters  —  for  the  bold  step  he  purposed.  This 
was  to  seize  the  person  of  Montezuma. 

On  the  eighth  day  after  the  arrival  at  the  city,  Cortez 
took  with  him  Alvarado,  Velasquez  de  Leon,  Avila,  San- 
doval,  and  Francisco  de  Lujo,  and,  ordering  a  number  of 
his  soldiers  to  keep  in  his  vicinity,  proceeded  to  the  royal 


98  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

palace.  He  conversed  with  Montezuma  concerning  the 
attack  on  the  garrison  at  the  coast,  and  professed  belief  in 
the  Mexican  prince's  asseverations  that  he  had  no  part  in 
it ;  but  added  that,  to  quiet  all  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the 
great  emperor  of  the  East,  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  re 
move  to  the  Spanish  quarters !  Montezuma  saw  at  once 
the  degradation  to  which  he  was  called  upon  to  submit,  but 
looking  on  the  fierce  Spaniards  around  him,  and  hearing 
an  interpretation  of  their  threats  to  despatch  him  immedi 
ately  if  he  did  not  comply,  he  suffered  himself  to  be  con 
ducted  to  the  palace  occupied  by  his  false  friends. 

To  hide  his  disgrace  from  his  subjects,  the  unhappy 
monarch  assured  the  astonished  concourse  in  the  streets 
that  he  went  of  his  own  free  will.  Cortez,  while  he  kept 
his  prisoner  secure  by  a  constant  and  vigilant  guard,  al 
lowed  him  to  preserve  all  the  outward  tokens  of  royalty. 

Meanwhile,  Qualpopoca,  the  governor  of  the  district 
where  Juan  de  Escalente  lost  his  life,  was  sent  for,  together 
with  his  associate  officers.  When  they  arrived,  Cortez 
was  allowed  by  Montezuma  to  punish  them  at  his  own  dis 
cretion,  and  the  inhuman  monster  caused  them  to  be 
burned  alive  in  the  sight  of  the  populace.  The  fuel  used 
for  this  purpose  consisted  of  the  royal  stores  of  arrows, 
darts,  and  other  warlike  implements.  Still  further  to  quell 
the  spirit  of  the  king,  fetters  were  placed  upon  his  ankles 
during  the  execution  of  this  cruel  sentence. 

The  people  of  Mexico  could  not  be  blinded  to  the  true 
position  of  their  sovereign,  and  it  was  not  long  before 
ominous  signs  appeared  of  a  general  determination  to 
avenge  his  wrongs,  and  vindicate  the  insulted  honor  of  the 
nation.  The  young  lord  of  the  ancient  and  powerful  city 
of  Tezcuco  was  foremost  in  arousing  this  spirit  of  resist 
ance,  but  by  artifice  and  treachery  he  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  his  brother  was  proclaimed  governor 
in  his  stead. 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  99 

The  king  was  brought  so  low  as  to  consent  to  acknowl 
edge  himself  a  subject  of  the  Spanish  emperor;  and  he 
delivered  up  to  Cortez  treasures  of  gold  and  silver,  to  the 
amount,  according  to  computation,  of  more  than  six  mil 
lions  of  dollars,  as  a  present  to  his  new  sovereign.  But  a 
small  portion  of  this  wealth  was  reserved  to  be  sent  to 
Spain ;  the  rest  was  divided  among  the  conquerors,  the 
chiefs  and  officers  appropriating  the  lion's  share. 

The  next  movement  was  to  establish  the  Christian  cere 
monies  of  worship  upon  the  very  site  so  long  venerated  as 
the  palace  of  the  great  god  of  war.  After  strong  opposi 
tion,  a  portion  of  the  area  on  the  summit  of  the  chief  tem 
ple  was  set  apart  for  the  Spaniards'  use  in  the  solemnities 
of  their  religion,  while  the  blood-stained  idol  and  the  stone 
of  sacrifice  maintained  their  old  position. 

At  these  sacrilegious  innovations,  the  whole  populace 
became  more  and  more. exasperated.  Montezuma  warned 
his  oppressors  of  the  storm  that  would  break  upon  them, 
declaring  that  if  he  should  but  give  the  sign,  his  whole 
people  would  rise  as  one  man  to  release  him  and  destroy 
the  hated  whites.  The  unfortunate  monarch  seems  to  have 
been  distracted  and  overcome  by  emotions  of  the  most  con 
flicting  nature.  For  some  of  the  Spanish  officers  he  had 
contracted  no  small  degree  of  personal  attachment,  while 
he  must  have  felt  continually  galled  by  the  restraint 
placed  upon  his  person,  and  by  the  consciousness  that  he 
was  now  but  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  proud  invaders  of 
his  dominions.  The  mildness  and  dignity  of  his  demeanor 
excited  sympathy  and  respect  from  his  jailers,  and  Cortez 
exacted  the  utmost  deference  and  respect  towards  his  cap 
tive  from  all  around  him. 

The  prudent  general  saw  the  necessity  for  every  precau 
tion  against  an  attack  from  the  natives,  and,  to  guard 
against  his  retreat  being  cut  off,  on  such  a  contingency, 
had  two  vessels  built  and  furnished  from  the  stores  saved 


100  INDIAN  KACES   OF   AMERICA. 

from  the  dismantled  fleet.  Living  upon  an  island,  it  was 
in  the  power  of  the  natives  at  any  time  to  destroy  the 
bridges  and  causeys,  by  which  alone  there  was  communica 
tion  with  the  main. 

At  this  crisis,  when  all  his  energies  were  required  to  re 
sist  the  fury  of  an  outraged  multitude  of  barbarians  around 
him,  Cortez  heard  of  danger  from  another  source,  which 
moved  him  more  deeply  than  any  hostilities  on  the  part  of 
the  Mexicans. 

The  jealous  Cuban  governor,  Velasquez,  enraged  at  his 
presumption  in  throwing  off  the  authority  under  which  he 
had  sailed,  fitted  out  a  formidable  armament,  to  overthrow 
the  newly-acquired  power  of  Cortez.  The  fleet,  under 
the  command  of  Pamphilo  de  Narvaez,  reached  the  Mexi 
can  coast,  and  news  of  its  arrival  were  conveyed  to  Cortez 
in  the  month  of  May,  1520. 

With  his  usual  decision  and  promptness,  the  general 
divided  his  forces,  and  leaving  the  larger  portion  under 
Alvarado  to  maintain  possession  of  the  capital,  he  marched 
to  check  the  advance  of  Narvaez.  By  the  boldness  of  a 
night  attack,  followed  up  by  the  most  consummate  policy 
in  winning  over  the  good  wishes,  and  exciting  the  cupidity 
of  the  newly-arrived  army,  he  converted  his  enemies  to 
friends,  and,  placing  the  leader  in  confinement,  hastened 
back  to  the  city  with  his  powerful  auxiliaries.  His  return 
was  timely  indeed.  Alvarado  had  been  guilty  of  an  act 
of  barbarity,  (whether  caused  by  avarice,  by  a  supposed 
necessity,  or  by  a  desire  to  ape  the  valiant  achievements  of 
his  master,  cannot  now  be  ascertained,)  which  had  brought 
down  upon  him  and  his  garrison  the  fury  and  indignation 
of  the  whole  Aztec  nation. 

Upon  an  occasion  of  great  public  ceremonials  at  the 
Teocalli,  or  temple,  at  which  were  gathered  a  great  con 
course  of  the  nobility  and  chiefs,  the  Spaniards,  placing 
a  guard  at  the  gates  of  the  outer  wall,  mingled  with  the 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  101 

unarmed  company,  and,  at  an  appointed  sign,  fell  upon  and 
murdered  every  Mexican  present. 

A  general  rush  upon  the  Spanish  quarters,  which  fol 
lowed  this  event,  was  only  checked  by  the  appearance  of 
Montezuma  himself  upon  one  of  the  towers  of  the  build 
ing,  who,  knowing  doubtless  that  his  own  life  could  scarcely 
be  preserved  in  such  a  melee,  requested  his  subjects  to  for 
bear.  They  therefore  contented  themselves  with  besieging 
the  garrison,  and  cutting  off  supplies  of  food  and  whole 
some  water. 

It  was  on  St.  John's  day  in  the  month  of  June,  that 
Cortez  reentered  the  city.  The  streets  were  silent  and  de 
serted,  and  with'  doubt  and  apprehension  he  proceeded  to 
the  Spanish  palace.  The  soldiers  of  the  garrison  were 
overjoyed  at  the  sight  of  the  recruits,  and  received  their 
brethren  with  open  arms.  Cortez  saw  the  folly  of  Alva- 
rado's  conduct,  and  in  his  first  mood  of  indignation  and 
petulance,  at  the  probable  frustration  of  his  plans,  he  in 
dulged  in  contemptuous  treatment  of  his  royal  captive. 

The  state  of  ominous  silence  observed  in  the  city  did  not 
continue  long.  News  came  in  that  the  Indians  were  de 
stroying  the  bridges;  and  a  body  of  four  hundred  men, 
under  De  Ordas,  who  were  sent  out  to  reconnoitre,  were 
driven  back,  with  a  loss  of  twenty -three  of  their  number. 
Such  crowds  of  natives  poured  forth  from  their  places  of 
concealment,  that  the  streets  were  choked  with  the  living 
mass,  while  from  balcony  and  roof-tops,  a  storm  of  weap 
ons  and  missiles  of  every  description  rained  upon  the  heads 
of  the  Spanish  troops. 

Surrounding  the  quarters  of  the  Spaniards,  and  using 
every  endeavor  to  burn  the  wooden  portion  of  the  buildings, 
the  wild  horde  of  enraged  Mexicans  continued  the  assault, 
with  desperate  fury,  till  nightfall. 

Cortez  attempted  a  sally  with  the  first  dawn  of  the  fol 
lowing  day,  but  he  soon  found  that  he  had  an  enemy  to 


102  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

encounter  of  far  different  spirit  from  those  who  had  here 
tofore  opposed  him.  Diaz  says,  "  If  we  had  been  ten 
thousand  Hectors  of  Troy,  and  as  many  Koldans,  we 
could  not  have  beaten  them  off. —  Some  of  our  soldiers 
who  had  been  in  Italy,  swore  that  neither  among  Chris 
tians  nor  Turks  had  they  ever  seen  such  desperation  ^s 
was  manifested  in  the  attacks  of  those  Indians."  The 
artillery  in  vain  swept  them  down,  for  thousands  were 
ready  to  rush  over  the  fallen  bodies  of  their  comrades,  and 
continue  the  battle  with  augmented  fierceness.  The  Span 
iards  were  finally  forced  to  retreat.  Various  expedients 
were  tried  by  the  indefatigable  Spanish  general  to  quell  the 
insurrection,  and  to  dislodge  the  assailants,  who  shot  their 
weapons  from  every  high  building  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
garrison.  Moving  towers  of  wood  were  constructed,  to  be 
drawn  through  the  street  by  companies  of  Tlascalans,  while 
Spanish  warriors  from  the  interior  discharged  volleys  of 
musketry  upon  the  Indians.  Many  hundred  houses  were 
destroyed  by  fire,  but,  being  principally  of  stone,  no  general 
conflagration  ensued. 

As  a  last  resort,  the  great  king  himself,  decked  in  his 
robes  of  state,  was  taken  to  th*e  tower  from  which  he  had 
before  succeeded  in  quieting  the  angry  populace.  The 
multitude  listened  with  deferential  awe,  but  when  they 
heard  again  the  palpable  falsehood  that  he  staid  among 
the  Spaniards  by  his  own  free  will,  reverence  gave  way 
to  contempt  and  indignation.  Revilings  and  reproaches 
were  followed  by  a  shower  of  stones  and  arrows.  The 
attendant  soldiers  in  vain  interposed  their  shields  to  pro 
tect  the  emperor :  he  fell,  severely  wounded  upon  the  head 
by  a  stone.  The  crowd  now  retired,  appalled  at  the  sacri 
lege  that  they  had  committed.  But  the  work  was  done : 
the  miserable  Montezuma,  overcome  with  rage,  mortifica 
tion,  and  despair,  would  accept  of  no  assistance,  either 
surgical  or  spiritual,  from  the  Spaniards.  In  three  days, 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO. 


103 


says  de  Soils,  te  he  surrendered  up  to  the  devil  the  eternal 
possession  of  his  soul,  employing  the  latest  moments  of  his 
breath  in  impious  thoughts  of  sacrificing  his  enemies  to  his 
fury  and  revenge." 

For  the  particulars  of  the  various  sorties,  the  ceaseless 
fighting,  and,  above  all,  the  terrible  scene  at  the  storming 
of  the  holy  temple,  the  reader  must  refer  to  more  exten 
sive  treatises  than  this  ;  suffice  it  that,  weakened  by  con 
tinual  fatigue,  and  day  by  day  less  able  to  resist  the  as 
saults  of  the  enemy,  the  Spaniards  finally  concluded  to 
evacuate  the  city.  One  Botello,  a  soldier  who  was  reputed 
a  necromancer,  as  he  "  spoke  Latin,  and  had  been  at 
Home,"  announced  a  certain  night  as  the  only  time  when 
the  army  could  escape  utter  destruction. 

Cortez,  whether  moved  by  superstition  or  aware  of  its 
influence  with  the  army,  and  hopeless  of  longer  maintain 
ing  a  hold  on  the  capital  under  existing  circumstances, 
made  preparations  to  march.  He  attempted  to  blind  his 
proceedings  by  pretended  treaties  with  the  Mexicans,  pro 
posing  to  evacuate  the  city  peaceably  within  eight  days, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  he  was  ordering  every  thing  for 
an  instantaneous  departure.  A  portable  bridge  was  pre 
pared  to  afford  the  means  for  crossing  the  gaps  in  the 
causey  made  by  the  enemy. 

On  the  night  of  the  first  of  July  (1520),  the  general 
brought  out  the  immense  treasures  of  gold  stored  in  his 
chamber,  and,  having  separated  the  portion  allotted  to  the 
crown,  told  the  soldiery  to  take  what  they  wouldj  but 
cautioned  them  against  encumbering  themselves. 

It  was  near  midnight,  and  dark  and  rainy,  when  the 
troops  were  put  in  motion. "  They  were  in  the  act  of  pass 
ing  the  first  breach,  over  the  portable  bridge,  when  the 
alarm  was  given  that  the  "  Teules  were  going,"  and  the 
cry  of  "  Taltelulco,  Taltelulco,  (out  with  your  canoes)  " 
resounded  over  the  water.  The  Spaniards  were  doomed 


104  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

to  greater  disaster  and  misery  on  this  night,  known  as  the 
ft  noche  triste,"  or  night  of  sorrow,  than  they  had  ever  yet 
experienced.  An  innumerable  horde  of  dusky  figures 
beset  the  causey,  and  attacked  the  fugitives  in  front,  flank, 
and  rear. 

By  a  complication  of  misfortune,  the  bridge  broke,  and 
from  the  struggling  mass  of  men  and  horses,  the  few  who 
could  obtain  footing  on  the  causey  were  mostly  killed,  or 
their  cries  for  help  were  heard  by  their  companions  as  they 
were  borne  off  in  the  canoes  of  the  enemy,  doomed  victims 
for  sacrifice.  The  cavalry,  who  were  in  advance,  hastened 
forward,  hopeless  of  relieving  those  whose  retreat  had  been 
cut  off,  and  who  were  blindly  contending  in  the  darkness 
with  the  fierce  and  enraged  Aztecs. 

Alvarado,  dismounted  and  wounded,  came  up  with  the 
advance,  on  foot,  accompanied  by  three  soldiers  and  eight 
Tlascalans.  He  reported  the  destruction  of  the  rear-guard, 
together  with  their  leader,  Velasquez  de  Leon.  According 
to  some  accounts,  Alvarado  had  made  his  escape  by  an 
extraordinary  leap  over  the  gap,  but  Diaz  denies  the  possi 
bility  of  the  act. 

The  wearied  and  disabled  remnant  of  the  proud  army 
of  Cortez  pursued  their  route  towards  the  friendly  district 
of  Tlascala,  followed  by  detached  companies  of  Mexicans, 
who  attacked  the  fugitives  in  the  rear,  and,  with  insulting 
shouts,  bade  them  hasten  to  the  doom  that  awaited  them. 

Near  a  place  called  Obtumba,  the  Indians  were  found 
arrayed  upon  a  plain  in  countless  hosts,  to  obstruct  the 
inarch,  and  finish  the  work  so  successfully  commenced  on 
the  night  of  the  retreat.  There  was  no  way  to  avoid  a 
general  engagement,  and  every  P;  i.i.iard  nerved  himself 
for  the  despcrato  bt;  ;:roiC.  We  quote  from  Bernal  Diaz  — 
"  Ch  what  it  was  to  see  this  tremendous  battle !  how  we 
closed  foot  to  foot,  and  with  what  fury  the  dogs  fought 
us !  such  wounding  as  there  was  amongst  us  with  their 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  105 

lances  and  clubs,  and  two-handed  swords,  while  our  cav 
alry,  favored  by  the  plain  ground,  rode  through  them  at 
will. — Then  to  hear  the  valiant  Sandoval  how  he  encour 
aged  us,  crying  out,  '  Now,  gentlemen,  is  the  day  of  vic 
tory  ;  put  your  trust  in  God ;  we  shall  survive,  for  he  pre 
serves  us  for  some  good  purpose.' ' 

The  royal  standard  was  taken,  its  bearer  being  slain,  and 
the  whole  multitude  were  put  to  flight,  and  hewn  down 
by  hundreds  in  their  retreat.  The  Spaniards  pushed  on 
to  Tlascala,  not  without  misgivings  as  to  the  reception 
they  should  meet  with  in  their  present  crippled  and  suffer 
ing  condition.  These  fears  proved  groundless:  the  friendly 
Tlascalans  embraced  them  affectionately ;  wept  over  their 
loss ;  and  gently  rebuked  them  for  trusting  the  treacherous 
Mexicans. 

During  the  "  noche  triste,"  and  upon  the  march  to  Tlas 
cala,  eight  hundred  and  seventy  Spaniards  are  recorded  to 
have  perished  in  battle,  or  to  have  been  doomed,  as  pris 
oners,  to  a  far  more  terrible  fate.  Of  their  Tlascalan  allies 
more  than  a  thousand  were  slain.  Only  four  hundred  and 
forty  of  the  Spanish  troops  reached  Tlascala,  and  these 
were  many  of  them  wounded  and  disabled,  and  were  ill 
supplied  with  arms.  Some  accounts  state  that  the  Mexican 
army,  at  Obtumba,  numbered  two  hundred  thousand  men, 
and  that  twenty  thousand  of  these  fell  in  the  engagement- 
or  were  slaughtered  in  their  tumultuous  retreat. 


106  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO.  —  BUILD. 
ING  AND  TRANSPORTATION  OF  BRIGANTINES.  —  SIEGE  LAID  TO  THE 
CITY.  — ASSAULT  BY  THE  SPANIARDS,  AND  THEIR  REPULSE.— SAC 
RIFICE  OF  PRISONERS. —CAPTURE  OF  GUATIMOZIN,  AND  CONQUEST 
OF  THE  CAPITAL. 

"  And  Aztec  priests,  upon  their  teocallis, 
Beat  the  wild  war-drum,  made  of  serpents'  skin." 

LONGFELLOW. 

ON  the  death  of  Montezuma,  his  brother  Cuitlahua,  gov 
ernor  of  Iztapalapa,  had  taken  the  supreme  command  over 
the  Aztecs.  He  had  been  prime  mover  in  the  revolt  which 
resulted  in  the  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards  from  the  city, 
and  it  was  by  his  orders  that  their  flight  had  been  so  fiercely 
followed  up.  At  the  present  juncture,  he  sent  heralds  to 
propose  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  friendly  tribe  by  whose 
hospitality  the  Spanish  army  was  now  supported,  proposing 
the  destruction  of  the  whites,  who  had  brought  such  woes 
upon  the  whole  country.  A  portion  of  the  Tlascalan  as 
sembly  looked  approvingly  upon  the  suggestion, '  but  the 
elder  and  wiser  members,  reflecting  upon  the  known  treach 
ery  of  the  Mexicans,  and  their  former  acts  of  oppression, 
refused  to  listen  to  it. 

Cortez,  perceiving  discontent  to  be  rife  among  his  men, 
determined  not  to  remain  idle,  but  to  keep  their  attention 
constantly  employed.  Some,  who  were  pining  for  ease  and 
quiet,  he  allowed  to  take  ship  for  Cuba,  while  by  every 
argument  he  appealed  to  the  honor  and  valor  of  his  veter 
ans,  urging  them  not  to  desist  at  the  first  failure,  but  to 
stand  by  their  general  and  reinstate  their  fallen  fortunes. 
He  engaged  in  bloody  conflicts  with  Mexican  tribes  on 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  107 

either  side  of  Tlascala,  with  the  most  distinguished  suc 
cess  ;  and  taking  possession  of  the  town  of  Tepeaca,  a  few 
leagues  distant,  established  his  head-quarters  there. 

By  singular  good  fortune,  several  ships,  bringing  fresh 
troops  to  support  Narvaez,  arrived  from  Cuba,  and  the 
adventurers,  learning  the  true  position  of  affairs,  readily 
joined  the  popular  leader.  Another  expedition,  sent  by 
the  governor  of  Jamaica  to  form  a  settlement  farther  up 
the  coast,  only  contributed  to  swell  the  resources  of  Cortez  ; 
those  engaged  in  the  undertaking  deeming  it  more  profit 
able  to  unite  with  the  followers  of  so  renowned  a  general, 
than  to  undergo  the  dangers  and  hardship  of  establishing 
themselves  unassisted  among  hostile  savages. 

Cortez  determined  to  make  every  preparation  for  a 
renewed  attack  upon  the  city  of  Mexico.  Returning  to 
Tlascala,  he  set  himself  to  equip  and  furnish  his  troops, 
and  to  train  the  Indian  allies  in  the  art  of  war.  Gunpow 
der  was  manufactured  ;  the  sulphur  being  procured  from 
the  neighboring  volcano  of  Popocatapetl.  The  most  im 
portant  part  of  his  schemes,  however,  was  the  building  a 
number  of  small  vessels,  or  brigantines,  by  means  of 
which  his  troops  could  be  made  independent  of  the  narrow 
and  dangerous  causeys.  These  vessels  he  ordered  to  be 
made  in  separate  pieces,  of  such  a  size  that  they  could  be 
transported  over  the  mountains  by  the  Indian  carriers  :  the 
stores  and  rigging  were  brought  from  the  coast  by  the 
same  means  of  conveyance. 

On  the  28th  of  December  Cortez  led  his  army  forth 
from  Tlascala.  The  Spanish  force  was  less  than  that  with 
which  the  first  invasion  was  undertaken,  but  was  superior 
in  martial  equipments.  The  whole  army  consisted  of 
about  six  hundred  whites,  and  ten  thousand,  or  upwards, 
of  Tlascalans.  They  marched  direct  for  Tezcuco,  on  the 
great  lake  of  Mexico.  No  opposition  was  made  during 
the  march,  and  the  city  was  yielded  to  them  without  a 
7 


108  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

struggle,  nearly  all  trie  inhabitants  deserting  it  in  their 
boats.  Here  it  was  determined  to  await  the  completion 
and  arrival  of  the  brigantines. 

While  all  these  formidable  preparations  were  going  on, 
important  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  Aztec  monarchy. 
Cuitlahua,  or  Quetlavaca,  had  perished  by  that  terrible 
scourge,  the  small-pox,  which  was  introduced  from  the  old 
country  by  one  of  Narvaez's  ships,  and  which  spread  over 
all  Mexico,  carrying  off  thousands  of  the  natives.  The 
new  emperor  Guatimozin,  a  brave  and  noble  youth,  was 
nephew  and  successor  to  Montezuma.  The  beauty  and 
gallant  bearing  of  this  prince  excited  the  admiration  of 
all  beholders  ;  while  his  intelligence  and  valor,  combined 
with  the  hatred  which  he  bore  towards  the  whites,  made 
him  an  enemy  to  be  dreaded.  He  had  devoted  his  whole 
attention,  since  his  accession,  to  fortifying  and  defending 
his  capital.  The  unserviceable  inhabitants  were  sent  into 
the  country,  while  warriors  from  all  sides  were  called  to 
rally  round  the  Aztec  banner  within  the  city. 

The  remainder  of  the  winter  and  the  early  months  of 
spring  were  occupied  by  the  Spaniards  in  sallies  against 
neighboring  towns  and  districts ;  the  reduction  of  the  dis 
affected  ;  the  conciliation  of  those  inclined  to  cooperate 
with  the  besiegers;  and,  above  all,  the  completion  and 
transportation  of  the  vessels.  We  must  pass  over  the  skir 
mishes  and  battles  which  occurred  during  this  period.  It 
would  be  little  more  than  a  repetition  of  scenes  of  cruelty, 
horror,  and  bloodshed.  The  spirit  of  the  Aztecs  was 
unsubdued,  and  their  new  emperor  haughtily  refused  to 
listen  to  any  terms  of  treaty,  although  Cortez  commissioned 
sundry  prisoners  of  rank  to  endeavor  to  move  him.  Suc 
cess  in  occupying  many  strong  and  populous  towns,  to 
gether  with  the  arrival  of  fresh  recruits,  served  to  encourage 
the  Spaniards  in  the  hopes  of  final  triumph.  Thousands 
of  natives  were  employed  in  digging  a  canal  by  which  the 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  109 

little  fleet  should  be  launched.  The  beams  and  planks  of 
the  vessels  ready  to  be  joined,  with  all  the  paraphernalia 
of  nautical  outfit,  were  carried  in  state  by  an  immense  con 
course  of  Tlascalans,  charged  with  the  burden,  or  acting 
as  a  guard  of  protection.  Diaz  says  that  no  less  than 
eight  thousand  men  served  in  each  of  these  capacities, 
while  two  thousand  more  followed  with  provisions.  About 
the* last  of  April  (1521)  the  thirteen  brigantines,  fitted  for 
service,  were  launched  into  the  canal. 

.  The  addition  of  an  armed  flotilla,  which,  urged  by  wind 
and  oars,  could  bear  down  upon  and  scatter  the  frail  canoes 
of  the  natives,  proved  of  incalculable  advantage.  The  size 
of  the  vessels,  the  thunder  of  their  cannons,  their  speed, 
and  the  skill  with  which  they  were  managed  and  con 
trolled,  must  have  filled  the  Mexicans  with  amazement. 

Near  the  end  of  May  a  regular  system  of  siege  was  en 
tered  upon,  by  the  occupation  of  the  three  great  approaches 
to  the  city.  The  inhabitants  were  unwearied  in  their  at 
tacks,  and  a  degree  of  vigilance  and  courage  on  the  part 
of  the  Spaniards,  scarce  equalled  in  any  age  or  country, 
only  preserved  them  from  utter  destruction.  "  For  ninety- 
three  days  together,"  says  Diaz,  "  we  were  employed  in 
the  siege  of  this  great  and  strong  city,  and  every  day  and 
every  night  we  were  engaged  with  the  enemy.  —  Were  I 
to  extend  my  narrative  to  every  action  which  took  place, 
it  would  be  almost  endless,  and  my  history  would  resemble 
that  of  Amadis  and  the  other  books  of  chivalry." 

Every  expedient,  of  driving  sunken  palisades  to  entangle 
the  vessels  ;  of  pitfalls  for  the  cavalry  ;  and  of  cutting  gaps 
in  the  causeys,  was  resorted  to  by  the  besieged,  and  per 
severed  in  with  a  determination  and  obstinacy  only  rivalled 
by  the  stern  temper  of  the  obdurate  invaders. 

There  was  necessarily  great  suffering  on  both  sides, 
exclusive  of  the  horrors  of  actual  warfare,  from  the  scar 
city  of  provision.  Maize  was  the  principal  resort;  but 


110  INDIAN  KACES   OP  AMERICA. 

the  hordes  of  Indian  allies  sustained  existence  by  a  more 
foul  repast,  feeding  upon  the  bodies  that  were  every  where 
scattered  over  the  causeys,  or  floating  in  the  lake  —  ghastly 
memorials  of  each  day's  slaughter.  Knowing  the  insuffi 
ciency  of  their  own  supplies,  the  Spaniards  dared  not  for 
bid  this  practice. 

Cortez  at  last  determined  upon  an  assault  from  three 
different  quarters,  with  his  whole  force.  Fierce  battles 
had  already  been  fought  within  the  city  walls ;  the  great 
Teocally  had  been  a  second  time  carried  by  storm,  and  its 
officiating  priests  thrown  from  its  summit ;  the  royal  palace, 
with  its  adjoining  buildings,  and  the  old  fortress  where  the 
Spaniards  had  formerly  quartered,  had  been  destroyed; 
but  no  general  assault  had  been  made.  After  some  dis 
cussion,  in  which  the  hazard  of  risking  so  much  upon  a 
single  onslaught  was  fully  discussed,  the  general  deter 
mined  to  undertake  it,  and  issued  his  orders  for  a  simul 
taneous  advance  —  the  march  over  the  causeys  to  be  pro 
tected  by  the  cooperation  of  the  brigantines. 

The  three  divisions  under  Cortez,  Alvarado,  and  San- 
do  val,  were  put  in  motion  on  the  ensuing  morning.  Or 
ders  were  given  that  each  party  should  secure  a  safe  retreat 
by  thoroughly  filling  up  all  gaps  in  the  causeys  as  they 
made  their  way  towards  the  heart  of  the  city.  Neglect 
of  this  prudent  arrangement  proved  most  disastrous.  An 
advanced  force,  under  Alderete,  encouraged  by  the  little 
show  of  resistance,  pressed  on  nearly  to  the  great  square, 
leaving  behind  them  a  breach  in  the  causey,  (through 
which  the  water  from  the  canal  on  either  side  was  flowing 
to  a  depth  of  two  fathoms)  with  very  slight  and  inefficient 
means  for  recrossing.  As  Cortez  came  up  to  this  spot,  he 
began  to  suspect  that  his  men  were  entrapped  ;  he  saw 
that  the  causey  had  been  narrowed,  and  at  once  perceived 
the  terrible  confusion  that  must  ensue,  in  case  of  precipi 
tate  retreat.  While  endeavoring  to  atone  for  this  careless- 


ABORIGINES   OP   MEXICO.  Ill 

ness  by  filling  the  dike,  Cortez  and  his  followers  heard 
the  blast  of  the  horn  of  the  Aztec  emperor,  Guatimozin, 
followed  by  a  deafening  yell  from  his  enraged  warriors, 
and  shortly  after,  Alderete's  party  were  seen  crowding  the 
causey  in  their  flight  from  an  overwhelming  mass  of  the 
natives.  At  the  gap  a  scene  of  terrible  slaughter  eqpfcied. 
Men  and  horses,  floundering  in  the  deep  mud  to  which 
the  way  was  reduced,  thrust  into  the  water  by  the  pres 
sure  of  their  own  numbers,  and  seized  by  the  enemy, 
whose  canoes  filled  the  canals,  presented  a  miserable  scene 
of  hopeless  disorder.  Cortez  himself  was  nearly  borne 
away  captive,  in  his  endeavors  to  rescue  the  drowning  suf 
ferers  from  the  dike.  Six  stout  warriors  laid  hold  of  him, 
and  would  have  secured  him  as  a  notable  offering  to  their 
idols,  but  for  the  self-sacrificing  devotion  of  his  officers  and 
men.  His  whole  surviving  party  were  obliged  to  retreat, 
making  their  way  back  to  the  camp  under  the  protecting 
fire  of  the  brigantines. 

The  division  under  Alvarado  was  also  driven  from  the 
city,  after  having  made  some  hopeful  advance,  driving  in 
their  first  opponents.  The  second  body  of  natives  who 
stopped  their  progress,  threw  down  five  Spanish  heads, 
saying  that  they  were  those  of  Cortez  and  his  officers.  In 
the  retreat  the  great  drum  was  heard  sounding  from  the 
summit  of  the  principal  teocalli :  ( '  Its  mournful  noise  was 
such  as  may  be  imagined  the  music  of  the  infernal  gods, 
and  it  might  be  heard  at  the  distance  of  almost  three 
leagues."  Diaz,  who  gives  this  description,  sg,ys  that  the 
enemy  were  then  sacrificing  ten  of  the  Spaniards'  hearts 
to  their  gods.  This  was  just  before  the  blast  of  the  royal 
horn  —  a  signal  which  roused  the  Aztecs  to  an  indescriba^ 
ble  pitch  of  fury  and  courage. 

Sandoval  fared  little  better  than  the  rest,  and  the  Span 
ish  army,  completely  foiled,  returned  to  the  several  en 
campments,  frightfully  reduced  in  numbers,  deprived  of 


112  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

many  of  their  invaluable  horses,  and,  above  all,  dispirited 
by  the  thought  that  sixty  or  more  of  their  brethren  were 
alive  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  destined  victims  at  their 
infernal  orgies. 

As  night  approached,  the  booming  of  the  great  drum 
on  ^e  temple  aroused  the  attention  of  the  Spaniards,  and, 
looking  towards  the  city,  they  could  distinctly  perceive 
several  of  their  unfortunate  companions  led  up  for  sacri 
fice,  decked  out  in  gaudy  plumes  and  coronals.  A  strong 
light  thrown  by  the  fires  on  the  platform  upon  their  white 
and  naked  bodies  made  the  sickening  sight  too  palpably 
distinct,  while  the  shrieks  of  the  victims  rose  above  even 
the  rude  din  of  barbarous  music  and  exultant  shouts. 
The  ceremony  was  followed  by  a  furious  attack  upon  the 
Spanish  camps. 

Not  even  scenes  like  this  could  shake  the  indomitable 
resolution  of  these  men  of  iron.  They  continued  to 
occupy  the  three  causeys  by  which  alone  the  city  could 
be  approached,  except  in  boats,  and  using  every  endeavor 
to  cut  off  supplies  of  provisions,  made  a  steady  and  in 
trenched  advance  upon  the  capital.  For  ten  successive 
nights  they  witnessed  the  butchery  of  the  Spanish  prison 
ers  upon  the  green  stone  of  sacrifice,  without  the  power 
to  render  them  the  least  assistance.  As  their  hearts  were 
torn  out  and  burned  before  the  idol,  the  priests  drew  the 
mangled  remains  down  the  stone  steps.  —  Some  of  the  In 
dians,  mid  their  taunts  and  revilings,  averred  that  the 
Spanish  fie^h  was  "too  bitter  to  be  eaten ;  and  truly, 
it  seems  that  such  a  miracle  was  wrought."  "  Let  the 
reader  think,"  says  the  old  chronicler,  Diaz,  "  what  were 
our  sensations  on  this  occasion.  Oh  heavenly  God!  said 
we  to  ourselves,  do  not  suffer  us  to  be  sacrificed  by  these 
wretches." 

To  add  to  the  Spaniards'  distress,  the  great  body  of  their 
Indian  allies  deserted  them  at  this  crisis.  They  had  be- 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  113 

gun  to  lose  their  confidence  in  the  invincibility  of  the 
whites ;  and  the  prediction  of  the  Mexican  priests,  that 
within  eight  days  the  besiegers  should  be  destroyed,  had 
its  effect  upon  their  superstitious  minds.  Ixtilxochitl,  the 
Tezcucan  chief,  who  had  been  raised  by  Cortez  to  the  gov 
ernment  of  the  city  on  its  abdication  by  his  enemies,  re 
mained  faithful. 

When  the  eight  days  were  passed,  these  fickle  allies  be 
gan  to  return,  with  fresh  confidence,  to  the  assistance  of  the 
besiegers.  With  determined  energy  the  Spaniards  forced 
their  passage,  foot  by  foot,  towards  the  centre  of  the  cap 
ital.  Securing  their  way  behind  them,  and  demolishing 
the  buildings  as  they  proceeded,  they  more  than  recovered 
from  their  grand  reverse.  The  miserable  inhabitants  were 
reduced  to  the  utmost  extremity  by  famine.  Crowded 
together  in  the  quarter  of  the  city  to  which  they  were 
driven,  they  perished  by  thousands,  but  nothing  seemed 
to  tame  theic  fierce  and  unyielding  spirit.  Guatimozin 
refused  to  listen  to  terms,  although  Cortez  repeatedly  sent 
embassies  of  prisoners,  proposing  a  peaceable  cession  of 
the  place.  Stores  and  men  were  added  to  the  Spanish 
resources,  by  the  arrival  at  Villa  Rica  of  a  vessel  belong 
ing  to  a  fleet  fitted  out  by  De  Aillon,  which  was  mostly 
destroyed  on  the  reefs  of  Florida. 

After  the  three  divisions  of  the  army  had  worked  their 
way  completely  through  the  city,  and  Guatimozin  and  his 
people  were  confined  in  a  limited  district  on  the  lake,  the 
fury  of  their  sallies  seemed  undiminished.  -When  they 
were  finally  unable  longer  to  keep  their  monarch  in  safety, 
a  last  attempt  was  made  to  effect  an  escape  in  the  piraguas 
or  large  canoes. 

The  brigantines  were  immediately  despatched  to  inter 
cept  and  destroy  the  flotilla  which  now  spotted  the  lake. 
The  natives  fought  desperately,  as  usual,  attacking  the 
armed  vessels  of  the  Spaniards,  regardless  of  the  destruc- 


114  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

tion  occasioned  by  the  artillery.  Sandoval,  who  com 
manded  in  this  service,  despatched  Garcia  Holguin,  with 
the  swiftest  of  the  brigantines,  to  the  spot  where  the  em 
peror  would  probably  steer,  with  orders  to  take  him  pris 
oner  alive,  if  possible. 

The  attempt  was  successful,  and  the  royal  barge  was 
taken,  containing  Guatimozin,  his  beautiful  wife,  (a  daugh 
ter  or  niece  of  Montezuma,)  and  his  chief  followers.  Be 
ing  brought  before  Cortez,  the  king  addressed  his  conqueror 
in  terms  of  proud  but  despairing  submission,  bidding  him 
draw  his  poniard,  and  put  an  end  to  the  life  of  a  monarch 
who  had  striven  to  the  last  for  his  people,  but  in  vain. 
Cortez  endeavored  to  reassure  him  by  caresses  and  kind 
words,  ordering  the  queen  and  attendants  to  be*  treated 
with  courtesy  and  respect. 

While  this  scene  was  enacting,  and  during  the  previous 
day,  a  work  of  such  fearful  carnage  had  been  going  on  in 
the  Mexican  quarters  as  no  pen  can  describe.  No  one  can 
presume  to  enumerate  those  who  fell.  Diaz  reports  as  fol 
lows  :  "  What  I  am  going  to  mention  is  truth,  and  I  swear 
and  say  amen  to  it.  I  have  read  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  but  I  cannot  conceive  that  the  mortality  there 
exceeded  this  of  Mexico  ;  for  all  the  people  from  the  dis 
tant  provinces  which  belonged  to  this  empire,  had  concen 
trated  themselves  here,  where  they  mostly  died.  The 
streets,  the  squares,  the  houses,  and  the  courts  of  the  Tal- 
telulco,  (where  the  Mexicans  were  last  intrenched,)  were 
covered  with  dead  bodies  ;  we  could  not  step  without  tread 
ing  on  them  ;  the  lake  and  canals  were  filled  with  them, 
and  the  stench  was  intolerable." 

It  is^  due  to  the  Spanish  general  to  say  that  he  endeav 
ored  repeatedly  to  stay  this  butchery ;  but  his  Indian  allies 
could  not  be  restrained,  now  that  an  opportunity  was  pre 
sented  for  safely  wreaking  their  vengeance  on  their  hered 
itary  foes. 


ABORIGINES   OF   MEXICO.  115 

The  capture  of  Guatimozin,  which  consummated  the 
conquest  of  the  city,  took  place  on  the  thirteenth  of  Au 
gust,  15£1.  All  contention  immediately  ceased  when  this 
was  accomplished.  Diaz  says  :  "  We  felt  like  so  many 
men  just  escaped  from  a  steeple  where  all  the  bells  were 
ringing  about  our  ears.  —  This  was  owing  to  the  continual 
noise  of  the  enemy  for  ninety -three  days  —  shouting,  call 
ing,  whistling,  as  signals  to  attack  us,  &c.  —  Then,  from 
the  temples  and  adoratories  of  their  accursed  idols,  the 
timbals  and  horns,  and  the  mournful  sound  of  their  great 
drum,  and  other  dismal  noises  were  incessantly  assailing 
our  ears,  so  that  day  or  night  we  could  hardly  hear  each 
other  speak." 

By  Guatimozin's  request,  the  city  was  cleared  of  its  in 
habitants,  that  it  might  be  effectually  purified.  The  cau 
seys  were  crowded  for  three  successive  days  and  nights 
with  a  horde  of  such  miserable,  diseased,  and  helpless 
wretches,  creeping  slowly  away  from  their  former  proud 
capital,  "  that  it  was  misery  to  behold  them." 

The  booty  discovered  by  the  conquerors  in  no  degree 
equalled  their  anticipations.  It  was  supposed  that  great 
quantities  of  gold  had  been  thrown  into  the  lake,  and 
divers  were  employed  in  the  search  for  it,  but  with  little 
effect.  The  unfortunate  Guatimozin,  and  the  lord  of  the 
city  of  Tacuba  were  put  to  the  torture,  with  the  assent  of 
Cortez,  to  extort  from  them  information  as  to  the  places 
where  they  had  concealed  their  treasures.  Cortez  objected 
to  this  piece  of  barbarity,  but  permitted  it  that  the  suspi 
cion  might  not  rest  upon  him  of  having,  by  connivance, 
appropriated  the  plunder  to  his  own  use. 

The  young  monarch,  in  this  extremity,  preserved  his 
dignity  and  composure,  enduring  the  cruelties  of  his  tor 
mentors  with  Indian  fortitude.  When  the  barbarous  in 
flictions  of  the  Spaniards  drew  forth  groans  or  complaints 
from  his  companion  in  suffering,  Guatimozin  silenced  him 


116  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

with  the  calm  interrogative,  "  Think'st  thou,  then,  that  I 
am  taking  my  pleasure  in  my  bath  ?  "  Nothing  was  gained 
by  the  inhuman  transaction,  although  the  emperor  told 
of  a  place  in  the  lake  where  gold  had  been  thrown,  and 
the  lord  of  Tacuba  confessed  that  he  had  stores  at  a  house 
in  the  country.  These  declarations  were  probably  made 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  present  anguish. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

REBUILDING  OF  THE  CITY.  — EXTENSION  OF  SPANISH  POWER.  — THE 
MARCH  TO  HONDURAS.— EXECUTION  OF  GUATIMOZIN.  — DONNA  MA 
RINA.— MODERN  MEXICO. 

"  Now  they  are  gone  —  gone  as  thy  setting  blaze 
Goes  down  the  west,  while  night  is  pressing  on, 
And  with  them  the  old  tale  'of  better  days,    * 
And  trophies  of  remembered  power  are  gone." 

BRYANT. 

WITHIN  a  few  years  after  the  scenes  we  have  just  de 
scribed,  the  royal  city  of  the  Aztec  monarchs  rose  from 
its  ruins  with  renewed  splendor ;  but  under  what  different 
circumstances  from  those  which  attended  its  first  establish 
ment  !  The  proud-spirited  nation,  reduced  to  degrading 
servitude,  was  compelled  to  build  and  plant  for  the  bene 
fit  of  the  victorious  Spaniards,  whose  power  daily  increased 
with  the  multitudes  flocking  from  the  Old  World  to  seek 
wealth  or  novelty  in  the  sunny  climes  of  New  Spain. 

The  modern  city  of  Mexico  presents  a  very  different  as 
pect  from  that  of  the  ancient  capital.  By  the  drainage  of 
the  lake,  it  no  longer  stands  upon  an  island ;  and  the 
causeys,  which  led  to  it,  still  used  as  public  roads,  are  said 
to  be  scarcely  distinguishable  from  the  other  highways. 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO.  117 

All  the  surrounding  tribes  who  did  not  yield  implicitly 
to  the  dictates  of  the  general,  when  the  great  city  was  de 
stroyed,  were  promptly  quelled  and  humbled.  Confirmed 
in  his  authority  by  royal  commission  —  for  the  efforts  of 
his  enemies  could  avail  little  against  the  universal  acclama 
tion  which  followed  the  news  of  his  successes  —  Cortez 
continued  to  increase  the  extent  of  Spanish  dominion,  and 
still  more  effectually  to  crush  all  spirit  of  opposition  among 
the  miserable  Mexicans.  We  cannot  detail  the  terrible  ex 
amples  of  vengeance  which  followed  any  attempt  to  throw 
off  the  galling  yoke.  With  such  coadjutors  as  Alvarado, 
Sandoval,  and  other  of  his  veteran  officers,  resistance  to 
his  supremacy  proved  worse  than  vain.  The  stake  or  the 
halter  was  the  ready  instrument  by  which  the  crime  of  re 
bellion  was  punished. 

In  October  of  1524,  Cortez,  with  a  small  force  of  Span 
iards,  and  a  large  body  of  natives,  undertook  a  long  and 
difficult  march  to  Honduras.  His  purpose  was  to  chastise 
the  rebellious  de  Olid,  who  had  thrown  off  his  general's 
authority.  Although  the  details  of  the  dangers,  hardships, 
and  adventures  in  this  expedition  are  minute  and  interest 
ing,  we  only  refer  to  it  as  giving  occasion  for  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  last  Aztec  monarch.  Continually  apprehensive 
of  a  new  revolt,  Cortez  had,  ever  since  the  conquest,  kept 
his  royal  prisoner  a  close  attendant  on  his  person.  To 
gether  with  his  faithful  vassal,  the  lord  of  Tacuba,  Guati- 
mozin  was  taken  to  accompany  the  party  to  Honduras.  At 
Gueyacala,  or  Aculan,  a  conspiracy  of  the  Mexicans  in  the 
train  to  lall  upon  and  massacre  the  Spaniards,  was  reported 
to  the  general,  and  attributed  to  the  influence  of  these  two 
nobles.  All  participation  in  this  plot  was  denied  by  the 
captives  ;  but  slight  suspicion  was  sufficient  to  furnish  an 
excuse  to  the  unscrupulous  Spaniard  for  ridding  himself 
of  a  constant  source  of  anxiety. 

Guatimozin  and  the  Tacuban  governor  were  both  hanged 


118  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

by  his  orders.  Diaz  affirms  that  there  was  but  one  opin 
ion  among  the  company,  that  this  was  "  a  most  unjust 
and  cruel  sentence."  He  proceeds  to  say  that  Cortez  suf 
fered  much  in  his  conscience  for  this  act.  — "  He  was  so 
distracted  by  these  thoughts  that  he  could  not  rest  in  his 
bed  at  night,  and,  getting  up  in  the  dark  to  walk  about,  as 
a  relief  from  his  anxieties,  he  went  into  a  large  apartment 
where  some  of  the  idols  were  worshipped.  Here  he  missed 
his  way,  and  fell  from  the  height  of  twelve  feet,  to  the 
ground,  receiving  a  desperate  wound  and  contusions  in  his 
head.  This  circumstance  he  tried  to  conceal,  keeping  his 
sufferings  to  himself,  and  getting  his  hurts  cured  as  well  as 
he  could." 

An  interesting  incident  occurred  on  this  march  relative 
to  the  history  of  the  faithful  interpreter  Donna  Marina. 
The  course  taken  led  the  army  through  her  native  prov 
ince,  and  it  so  chanced  that,  at  a  great  conclave  of  chiefs 
and  principal  inhabitants  to  hold  conference  with  the  Span 
iards,  her  mother  and  brother  were  present.  The  unnatu 
ral  parent,  who  had  so  long  before  sold  her  daughter  as 
a  slave,  thought  the  hour  of  retribution  was  at  hand,  but 
Marina  encouraged  and  caressed  her,  making  her  offerings 
of  jewels  and  other  attractive  trifles.  She  avowed  her  at 
tachment  to  the  Spaniards  and  their  religion,  expressing 
great  pride  and  satisfaction  in  the  son  and  the  husband,  for 
both  of  whom  she  stood  indebted  to  her  noble  master  and 
friend. 

We  must  now  take  leave  of  the  historical  detaij^of  Mex 
ican  chronicles,  with  a  few  remarks  upon  the  condition  of 
the  Indians  subsequent  to  the  conquest,  the  changes  since 
wrought  by  lapse  of  time,  the  introduction  of  a  foreign 
population,  and  the  mixture  of  races. 

For  a  long  period  the  mass  of  the  natives  were  compelled 
to  waste  their  lives  in  hopeless  toil  on  the  plantations, 
in  the  mines,  or  at  the  rising  cities  of  their  oppressors. 


ABORIGINES   OF  MEXICO. 


119 


Cortez  felt  and  expressed  some  compunctious  visitings  of 
conscience  at  the  adoption  of  this  general  system  of  slavery, 
but  fell  in  with  it  as  being  essential  to  the  maintenance 
of  Spanish  power  and  the  speedy  growth  of  the  colonies. 
He  saw  that  the  mental  capacity  of  the  people  was  far 
superior  to  that  of  the  other  North  American  aborigines, 
and  felt  some  natural  regret  that  their  national  pride  should 
be  entirely  humbled,  and  their  opportunities  for  civilization 
and  improvement  be  so  entirely  cut  off.  A  better  state  of 
things  was  gradually  brought  about,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  pure  native  descent  are  now  spoken  of  as  a  cheerful, 
courteous  race,  busying  themselves  in  the  simpler  arts  of 
manufacture,  cultivating  their  fields,  and  enjoying  the 
equable  freedom  from  anxiety,  so  congenial  to  the  mild 
and  delicious  climate  of  their  country. 

Pulque,  the  intoxicating  drink  of  the  Mexicans,  is  pro 
ductive  of  the  evil  effects  that  such  beverages  always  pro 
duce  among  the  Indians  of  America  ;  and,  in  the  large 
cities,  a  disgusting  horde  of  lazaroni  disfigures  the  public 
squares.  In  the  city  of  Mexico,  these  beggars  are  espe 
cially  numerous. 

The  half-breeds,  who  form  at  the  present  day  so  exten 
sive  a  portion  of  the  population,  present  every  variety  of 
social  position.  Some  of  Montezuma's  descendants  mar 
ried  into  noble  families  of  Spain,  and  their  posterity  arrived 
at  great  wealth  and  dignity.  The  wife  of  Guatimozin, 
after  his  execution,  married  successively  no  less  than  three 
Castilians  of  honorable  family.  She  is  every  where  spoken 
of  as  a  woman  of  charming  appearance  and  attractive 
manners.  A  descendant  of  the  former  emperor  of  the 
Aztecs  held  the  office  of  Spanish  viceroy  in  Mexico  as  late 
as  the  clobe  of  the  seventeenth  century. 


THE  FLORIDA  INDIANS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EARLY  EXPEDITIONS  OF  SPANISH  ADVENTURERS.  —  PONCE  DE  LEON.  — 
L.  VALASQUEZ  DE  AYLLON.  —  PAMPHILO  DE  NARVAEZ.  —  FERNANDO 
DE  SOTO.  — HIS  LANDING  AND  ESTABLISHMENT  AT  TAMPA.  — STORY 
OF  JOHN  ORTIZ,  A  SPANISH  CAPTIVE  AMONG  THE  INDIANS. 

FEW  portions  of  the  Western  Continent  have  witnessed 
such  scenes  of  barbarous  warfare  between  the  natives  and 
European  adventurers,  or  between  subjects  of  contending 
nations  at  the  East,  as  the  long,  low  peninsula  which  lies 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Atlantic  sea-coast  of  the 
United  States.  Its  whole  history  is  strangely  romantic, 
and  might  well  tempt  us  away  from  our  subject,  were  there 
room  to  chronicle  all  the  interesting  details  of  its  discov 
ery,  conquest,  and  settlement. 

The  first  picture  presented  to  our  minds,  when  we  turn 
back  to  these  early  times,  is  of  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  gov 
ernor  of  Porto  Rico,  led  by  Indian  fables  in  1512  to  search 
amid  the  low  islands  of  the  coast  for  a  fountain  that  should 
bestow  perpetual  youth  ;  landing  upon  the  green  and  flow 
ery  shores,  and  bestowing  upon  the  country  its  pleasing 
and  musical  appellation.  All  of  North  America,  to  the 
northward  and  eastward  of  Mexico,  went  by  the  name  of 
Florida,  before  English  settlements  were  made  upon  the 
coast.  Failing  in  his  first  search,  Leon  undertook  a  second 
expedition  into  the  unknown  world,  in  hopes  of  finding 
mines  of  the  precious  metals,  but  was  killed  in  a  fight  with, 

the  natives. 

(120) 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  121 

The  perfidious  Luke  Valasquez  de  Ayllon,  in  1518,  vis 
ited  the  coast  to  the  northward  of  Florida,  to  procure  gold 
and  slaves.  The  kindly  natives,  whom  he  tempted  on 
board,  were  shut  under  hatches,  and  conveyed  to  Cuba. 
Returning  again  to  the  country,  he  and  his  party  were 
justly  punished  for  their  treachery,  nearly  all  of  them 
being  slain  by  the  inhabitants,  who,  mindful  of  former 
.injuries,  rose  upon  them  unawares,  after  putting  them  off 
their  guard  by  demonstrations  of  friendship.  Those  who 
had  been  carried  into  servitude  mostly  perished,  some  by 
voluntary  starvation,  and  others  from  grief  and  despair. 

The  Indians  of  Florida  are  represented  by  all  early  his 
torians  as  a  high-spirited  and  courageous  race,  showing 
considerable  skill  in  agriculture,  and  exhibiting  marks  of 
far  greater  civilization  than  those  of  the  North.  It  seems 
not  improbable,  judging  from  their  traditions,  appearance, 
and  customs,  that  they,  as  well  as  the  Natchez,  had  emi 
grated  from  Mexico,  perhaps  at  no  very  remote  period. 
They  resided  in  towns  and  villages  of  considerable  extent, 
and  showed  a  degree  of  resolution  and  desperate  valor, 
in  defending  their  homes  against  the  murderous  Spaniards, 
which  has  seldom  been  equalled.  Unappalled  by  the  ter 
rible  execution  of  the  unknown  weapons  of  their  enemies, 
who,  mounted  upon  horses  (hitherto  unknown  in  the  coun 
try)  and  clad  in  defensive  armor,  presented  a  novel  and 
unaccountable  spectacle  to  their  wondering  eyes,  they  dis 
puted  the  invaded  territory  inch  by  inch. 

Like  most  of  their  red  brethren,  they  could  not  long 
brook  the  indignity  of  slavery  ;  the  proud  spirit  of  the 
Indian  can  never,  like  that  of  the  African,  be  so  humbled 
that  his  race  can  continue  and  multiply  in  servitude. 

The  old  Portuguese  narrator  of  De  Soto's  conquest, 
speaking  of  the  Indian  slaves  of  Cuba,  says  that  their 
custom  was  to  hang  themselves,  to  escape  the  toil  and 
degradation  of  working  the  mines.  He  tells  of  an  over- 


122  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

seer  in  the  service  of  Vasco  Porcalho,  (afterwards  De  Soto's 
lieutenant-general,)  who,  "  knowing  the  Indians  under  his 
charge  had  resolved  to  hang  themselves,  went  and  staid 
for  them  at  the  place  where  they  intended  to  put  this  dis 
mal  resolution  into  execution,  with  a  rope  in  his  hand  :  he 
told  them  they  must  not  imagine  that  any  of  their  designs 
were  hid  from  him,  and  that  he  was  come  to  hang  himself 
with  them,  that  he  might  torment  them  in  the  other  world 
an  hundred  times  more  than  he  had  done  in  this."  His 
expedient  had  the  desired  effect  upon  their  superstitious 
and  credulous  minds,  and,  giving  up  their  purpose,  they 
returned  submissively  to  their  tasks. 

Pamphilo  de  Narvaez,  in  April,  1528,  with  a  commission 
from  Charles  the  Fifth  to  conquer  and  take  possession, 
landed  four  hundred  men  and  forty  or  fifty  horses  at  East 
Florida.  Penetrating  the  wilderness,  they  crossed  the 
country  to  Appalache,  sometimes  experiencing  kind  treat 
ment  from  the  Indians,  at  other  times  in  danger  from  their 
attacks.  Finding  no  gold,  and  but  little  provision  at  this 
town,  from  which  they  drove  out  the  inhabitants  on  their 
first  arrival,  the  Spaniards  shaped  their  course  to  the  south 
towards  Aute.  Tormented  by  hunger  ;  beset  by  hidden 
foes ;  disheartened  by  the  terrible  difficulties  which  beset 
their  path,  from  the  almost  impassable  natural  conforma 
tion  of  the  country ;  and  worn  out  by  incessant  exertion, 
Narvaez  and  his  men  reached  Aute  only  to  find  it  burned 
and  deserted  by  its  inhabitants. 

Many  of  the  party  having  already  perished,  the"  rest, 
hopeless  of  making  further  progress  by  land,  set  to  work 
to  construct  boats  in  which  they  might  reach  a  port  of 
safety.  With  singular  ingenuity  they  prepared  tools  from 
the  iron  of  their  accoutrements  ;  and,  with  no  further  mate 
rials  than  were  furnished  by  the  productions  of  the  forest, 
and  the  manes,  tails,  and  skins  of  their  horses,  five  small 
boats  were  built.  They  embarked  and  set  sail,  but  nearly 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  123 

all  perished  either  by  famine  or  by  the  dangers  of  the  sea. 
Only  a  handful  of  the  number  were  ever  heard  from, 
among  whom  was  Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca.  With 
only  four  companions  he  kept  on  his  course  to  the  West, 
and,  after  years  of  peril,  hardship,  and  servitude,  reached 
the  Spanish  settlements  of  Mexico. 

The  next  Spanish  expedition  to  Florida  was  of  far  more 
importance  and  interest  than  either  that  had  preceded  it. 
The  celebrated  Fernando  de  Soto,  after  acquiring  an  im 
mense  fortune  as  a  companion  of  Pizarro,  at  Peru,  was 
moved  by  the  restless  spirit  of  adventure  to  undertake  a 
more  complete  examination  of  the  New  World  opened  to 
Spanish  cupidity  and  curiosity. 

With  seven  ships  of  his  own  providing,  and  accompa 
nied  by  from  six  hundred  to  one  thousand  warlike  and 
energetic  adventurers,  many  of  whom  were  of  noble  rank, 
De  Soto  set  sail,  in  the  month  of  April,  1538.  Upwards 
of  a  year  was  spent,  mostly  upon  the  island  of  Cuba,  before 
the  fleet  set  sail  for  the  Florida  coast.  In  the  latter  part 
of  May,  1539,  the  vessels  came  to  anchor  off  the  bay  of 
Espiritu  Santo,  now  Tampa  Bay,  on  the  western  sea-board, 
and  a  large  division  of  soldiers,  both  horse  and  foot,  were 
landed.  The  Indians  had  taken  the  alarm,  and,  although 
the  smoke  of  their  fires  had  been  seen  from  ship-board  in 
various  directions,  all  had  fled  from  the  district,  or  lay  con 
cealed  in  the  thickets.  De  Soto  appears  to  have  been 
desirous  to  proceed  upon  peaceable  terms  with  the  natives, 
but  hostilities  soon  followed.  Some  skirmishes  took  place 
near  the  point  of  landing,  and  the  Spaniards  speedily  pos 
sessed  themselves  of  the  nearest  village,  where  were  the 
head-quarters  of  the  cacique  Ucita  or  Hiriga.  Here  De 
Soto  established  himself  in  "  the  lord's  house,"  which  was 
built  upon  a  mound  by  the  sea-shore ;  while  the  soldiers 
used  the  materials  of  the  other  buildings  in  constructing 
barracks. 


124  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

At  the  inland  extremity  of  the  town  stood  the  temple 
devoted  by  the  Indians  to  religious  observances.  Over  the 
entrance  of  this  building  was  the  wooden  figure  of  a  fowl, 
having  the  eyes  gilded  —  placed  there  for  the  purpose  of 
ornament,  or  as  symbolic  of  the  tutelary  deity  of  the  place. 

Clearings  were  now  made  around  the  village,  to  give  free 
scope  to  the  operations  of  the  cavalry,  and  parties  were 
sent  out  to  explore  the  country,  and  to  make  prisoners  who 
should  serve  as  guides  or  hostages. 

The  remembrance  of  horrible  outrages  committed  upon 
himself  and  his  people  by  Narvaez,  had  so  embittered  the 
old  chief  Hiriga  against  the  whites,  that  no  professions  of 
friendship  and  good  will  could  appease  his  hatred.  De 
Soto  released  prisoners  who  were  taken  by  his  scouting 
parties,  charging  them  with  presents  and  conciliatory  mes 
sages  for  their  chief,  but  all  in  vain. 

In  the  tangled  forests  and  marshes  the  Indians  were 
found  to  be  no  contemptible  opponents.  They  were  de 
scribed  as  being  "so  dexterous  fierce  and  nimble  that  foot 
can  gain  no  advantage  upon  them."  Their  bows  and  arrows 
were  so  effective  that  coats  of  mail  did  not  prove  a  suffi 
cient  protection  against  their  force.  The  arrows  were 
headed,  as  usual,  with  stone,  or  with  fish-bones  ;  those 
which  were  made  of  canes  or  reeds  produced  the  deadliest 
effect. 

A  party  under  Gallegos,  scouring  the  country  a  few 
miles  from  the  camp,  attacked  a  small  body  of  Indians  and 
put  them  to  flight ;  but,  as  a  horseman  was  charging  with 
his  lance  at  one  of  the  number,  he  was  amazed  to  hear 
him  cry  out,  "  Sirs,  I  am  a  Christian ;  do  not  kill  me,  nor 
these  poor  men,  who  have  given  me  my  life." 

Naked,  sun-burned,  and  painted,  this  man  was  scarce 
distinguishable  from  his  wild  associates.  His  name  was 
John  Ortiz,  and  he  had  lived  with  the  Indians  twelve 
years,  being  one  of  the  few  followers  of  Narvaez  who 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  125 

escaped  destruction.  Since  the  disastrous  failure  of  that 
expedition  he  had  made  his  way  to  Cuba  in  a  small  boat, 
and  had  returned  again  to  Florida  in  a  small  vessel  sent 
in  quest  of  the  lost  party.  The  Indians  enticed  a  few  of 
the  crew  on  shore,  and  made  them  prisoners.  Ortiz  was 
among  the  number,  and  was  the  only  one  who  escaped  im 
mediate  death.  After  amusing  themselves  by  various  ex 
pedients  to  terrify  and  torment  their  captive,  the  savages, 
by  the  command  of  their  chief,  Hiriga,  bound  him  to  four 
stakes,  and  kindled  a  fire  beneath  him.  He  was  preserved, 
even  in  this  extremity,  by  the  compassionate  entreaties  and 
persuasions  of  a  daughter  of  the  cacique.  His  burns  hav 
ing  been  healed,  he  was  deputed  to  keep  watch  over  the 
temple  where  the  bodies  of  the  dead  were  deposited,  to 
defend  them  from  attacks  of  wolves.  His  vigilance  and 
resolution,  in  despatching  a  wolf,  panther,  or  a  "lion," 
(according  to  one  account)  which  had  seized  the  body  of  a 
child  of  one  of  the  principal  chiefs,  aroused  a  kindly  feel 
ing  towards  him,  and  he  was  well  used  for  three  years. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  Hiriga,  having  been  worsted  in 
fight  with  Moscoso,  a  hostile  chief  whose  dwelling  was  at 
a  distance  of  two  days5  journey,  thought  it  necessary  or 
expedient  to  make  a  sacrifice  of  his  Christian  subject  to 
the  devil.  "  Seeing,"  says  our  Portuguese  historian,  "  the 
devil  holds  these  people  in  deplorable  bondage,  they  are 
accustomed  to  offer  to  him  the  life  and  blood  even  of  their 
subjects,  or  of  any  body  else  that  falls  into  their  hands." 

Forewarned  of  this  danger  by  his  former  benefactress, 
Ortiz  fled  in  the  night  towards  the  country  of  Moscoso. 
Upon  first  meeting  with  the  subjects  of  this  chief,  he  was 
in  great  danger  from  the  want  of  an  interpreter  to  explain' 
whence  he  came,  and  what  was  his  errand  ;  but,  at  last, 
finding  an  Indian  who  understood  the  language  of  the 
people  with  whom  he  had  lived,  he  quieted  the  suspicions 
of  his  hosts,  and  remained  with  them  in  friendship  110  less 


126  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

than  nine  years.  Moscoso,  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  De 
Soto,  generously  furnished  his  captive  with  an  escort,  and 
gave  him  free  permission  to  return  to  his  countrymen,  in 
accordance  with  a  promise  made  when  Ortiz  first  came  to 
his  territory. 

The  long-lost  Spaniard  was  joyfully  received,  with  his 
companions,  at  De  Soto's  camp ;  his  services  as  guide  being 
considered  invaluable.  In  answer  to  the  first  inquiry, 
however,  where  gold  was  to  be  sought,  he  could  give  no 
satisfactory  information. 

The  cacique  Moscoso  being  sent  for,  soon  presented  him 
self  at  the  Spanish  encampment,  and  after  spending  some 
days  in  familiar  intercourse  with  the  wonderful  strangers, 
departed,  exulting  in  the  possession  of  a  shirt  and  other 
tokens  of  royal  munificence. 


CHAPTER   II. 

PROGRESS  NORTHWARD.  —  CONTESTS  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  —  VITACHU- 
CO.  —EXPEDITION  TO  CUTIFACHIdUI.  —  DEPARTURE  FOR  THE  WEST. 

"  *        *        *        *        The  long  bare  arms 
Are  heaved  aloft,  bows  twang  and  arrows  stream ; 
Each  makes  a  tree  his  shield,  and  every  tree 
Sends  forth  its  arrow.     Fierce  the  fight  and  short 
As  is  the  whirlwind."  —  BUYANT. 

DE  SOTO  now  concluded  to  send  his  vessels  back  to  Cuba, 
and  leaving  a  strong  guard  in  Hiriga's  country,  to  proceed 
northward.  Favorable  accounts  were  brought  by  his  emis 
saries  from  the  adjoining  district  of  Paracoxi,  and  delud 
ing  hopes  of  procuring  gold  invited  to  still  more  distant 
exploration  in  Cale.  Vasco  Porcalhe,  wearied  and  dis 
gusted  with  hopeless  and  desultory  skirmishing  among  the 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  127 

swamps  and  morasses,  resigned  his  commission,  and  left 
with  the  squadron. 

The  Spanish  force,  proceeding  up  the  country,  passed 
with  great  difficulty  the  extensive  morass  now  known  as 
the  Wahoo  Swamp,  and  came  to  Gale  in  the  southern  por 
tion  of  Alachua.  The  inhabitants  of  the  town,  which  was 
large,  and  gave  tokens  of  thrift  and  abundance,  had  fled 
into  the  woods,  except  a  few  stragglers  who  were  taken 
prisoners.  The  troops  fell  upon  the  stored  provisions, 
and  ravaged  the  fields  of  maize  with  the  eagerness  of  fam 
ished  men. 

Leaving  Gale  on  the  llth  of  August,  De  Soto  pressed 
forward  to  the  populous  town  of  Ochile.  Here,  without 
pretence  of  coming  as  friends,  the  soldiers  fell  upon  the 
inhabitants,  and  overpowered  them  by  the  suddenness  of 
their  attack.  The  country  was  under  the  rule  of  three 
brothers,  one  of  whom  was  taken  prisoner  in  the  town. 
The  second  brother  came  in  afterwards  upon  the  receipt 
of  friendly  messages  from  the  Spanish  general,  but  the 
elder,  Vitachuco,  gave  the  sternest  and  most  haughty  re 
sponses  to  all  embassies  proposing  conciliatory  measures. 
Appearing,  at  last,  to  be  convinced  by  the  persuasion  of 
his  two  brothers,  who  were  sent  to  him,  he  consented  to  a 
meeting.  With  a  large  company  of  chosen  warriors,  he 
proceeded  to  De  Soto's  encampment,  and,  with  due  formal 
ity,  entered  into  a  league  of  friendship.  Both  armies  be 
took  themselves  to  the  principal  village  of  Vitachuco,  and 
royal  entertainment  was  prepared. 

The  treacherous  cacique,  notwithstanding  these  demon 
strations,  gathered  an  immense  force  of  his  subjects  around 
the  town,  with  a  view  of  surprising  and  annihilating  the 
Spaniards;  but  the  vigilance  of  John  Ortiz  averted  the 
catastrophe. 

Preparations  were  at  once  made  to  anticipate  the  attack ; 
and  so  successfully  were  they  carried  out,  that  the  principal 


128  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

cacique  was  secured,  and  his  army  routed.  Many  of  the 
fugitives  were  driven  into  a  lake,  where  they  concealed 
themselves  by  covering  their  heads  with  the  leaves  of 
water  lilies.  The  lake  was  surrounded  by  the  Spanish 
troops,  but  such  was  the  resolution  of  the  Indians,  that 
they  remained  the  whole  night  immersed  in  water,  and,  on 
the  following  day,  when  the  rest  had  delivered  themselves 
up,  "  being  constrained  by  the  sharpness  of  the  cold  that 
they  endured  in  the  water,"  twelve  still  held  out,  resolving 
to  die  rather  than  surrender.  Chilled  and  stupefied  by  the 
exposure,  these  were  dragged  ashore  by  some  Indians  of 
Paracoxi,  belonging  to  De  Soto's  party,  who  swam  after 
them,  and  seized  them  by  the  hair. 

Although  a  prisoner,  with  his  chief  warriors  reduced  to 
the  condition  of  servants,  Vitachuco  did  not  lay  aside  his 
daring  purposes  of  revenge.  He  managed  to  circulate  the 
order  among  his  men,  that  on  a  day  appointed,  while  the 
Spaniards  were  at  dinner,  every  Indian  should  attack  the 
one  nearest  him  with  whatever  weapon  came  to  hand. 

When  the  time  arrived,  Vitachuco,  who  was  seated  at 
the  general's  table,  rallying  himself  for  a  desperate  effort, 
sprang  upon  his  host,  and  endeavored  to  strangle  him. 
"  This  blade,"  says  the  Portuguese  narrator,  "  fell  upon 
the  general ;  but  before  he  could  get  his  two  hands  to  his 
throat,  he  gave  him  such  a  furious  blow  with  his  fist  upon 
the  face  that  he  put  him  all  in  a  gore  of  blood."  De  Soto 
had  doubtless  perished  by  the  unarmed  hands  of  the  mus 
cular  and  determined  chief,  had  not  his  attendants  rushed 
to  his  rescue,  and  despatched  the  assailant. 

All  the  other  prisoners  followed  their  cacique's  example. 
Catching  at  the  Spaniards'  arms,  or  the  "  pounder  where 
with  they  pounded  the  maize,"  each  "  set  upon  his  master 
therewith,  or  on  the  first  that  fell  into  his  hands.  They 
made  use  of  the  lances  or  swords  they  met  with,  as  skil 
fully  as  if  they  had  been  bred  to  it  from  their  childhood ;  so 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  129 

that  one  of  them,  with  sword  in  hand,  made  head  against 
fifteen  or  twenty  men  in  the  open  place,  until  he  was  killed 
by  the  governor's  halbardiers."  Another  desperate  war 
rior,  with  only  a  lance,  kept  possession  of  the  room  where 
the  Indian  corn  was  stored,  and  could  not  be  dislodged. 
He  was  shot  through  an  aperture  in  the  roof.  The  Indians 
were  at  last  overpowered,  and  all  who  had  not  perished 
in  the  struggle,  were  bound  to  stakes  and  put  to  death. 
Their  executioners  were  the  Indians  of  Paracoxi,  who  shot 
them  with  arrows. 

Napetaca,  the  scene  of  this  event,  was  left  by  the  Span 
iards  in  the  latter  part  of  September.  Forcing  their  way 
through  the  vast  swamps  and  over  the  deep  and  miry 
streams  that  intercepted  their  path,  and  exposed  to  the 
attacks  of  the  revengeful  proprietors  of  the  soil,  they  came 
to  the  town  of  Uzachil,  somewhere  near  the  present  Oscilla 
river,  midway  between  the  Suwanne  and  Appalachicola. 
Encumbered  with  horses,  baggage,  and  armor  as  they 
were,  their  progress  is  surprising.  Uzachil  was  deserted 
by  the  Indians,  and  the  troops  revelled  in  store  of  provis 
ion  left  by  the  unfortunate  inhabitants. 

Marauding  parties  of  the  Spaniards  succeeded  in  seizing 
many  prisoners,  both  men  and  women,  who  were  chained 
by  the  neck,  and  loaded  with  baggage,  when  the  army  re 
commenced  their  march.  The  poor  creatures  resorted  to 
every  method  to  effect  their  escape  ;  some  filing  their 
chains  in  two  with  flints,  and  others  running  away,  when 
an  opportunity  offered,  with  the  badge  of  slavery  still  at 
tached  to  their  necks.  Those  who  failed  in  the  attempt 
were  cruelly  punished. 

The  natives  of  this  north-western  portion  of  Florida 
evinced  no  little  skill  and  good  management  in  the  con 
struction  of  their  dwellings  and  in  their  method  of  agricul 
ture.  The  houses  were  pronounced  "  almost  like  the  farm 
houses  of  Spain,"  and  some  of  the  towns  were  quite  populous. 


130  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Making  a  halt  at  Anhayca,  the  capital  town  of  the  dis 
trict  of  Palache,  De  Soto  sent  a  party  to  view  the  sea-coast. 
The  men  commissioned  for  this  service  discovered  tokens 
of  the  ill-fated  expedition  of  Narvaez  at  Ante,  where  the 
five  boats  were  built.  These  were  a  manger  hewn  from 
the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  the  bones  of  the  horses  who  had 
been  killed  to  supply  the  means  of  outfit. 

De  Soto,  about  the  last  of  November,  sent  a  detachment 
back  to  the  bay  of  Espiritu  Santo,  with  directions  for  two 
caravels  to  repair  to  Cuba,  and  the  other  vessels,  which 
had  not  already  been  ordered  home,  to  come  round  by  sea 
and  join  him  at  Palache.  Twenty  Indian  women  were 
sent  as  a  present  to  the  general's  wife,  Donna  Isabella. 

In  one  of  the  scouting  expeditions,  during  the  stay  at 
Palache,  a  remarkable  instance  of  self-devotion  was  seen 
in  two  Indians,  whom  the  troops  came  upon  as  they  were 
gathering  beans,  with  a  woman,  the  wife  of  one  of  them, 
in  their  company.  "  Though  they  might  have  saved  them 
selves,  yet  they  chose  rather  to  die  than  to  abandon  the 
woman."  "  They  wounded  three  horses  ;  whereof  one 
died,"  before  the  Spaniards  succeeded  in  destroying  them. 

Early  in  March,  1540,  the  Spanish  forces  were  put  in 
motion  for  an  expedition  to  Yupaha,  far  to  the  north-east. 
Gold  was  still  the  object  of  search.  A  young  Indian,  who 
was  made  prisoner  at  Napetaca,  alleged  that  he  had  come 
from  that  country,  and  that  it  was  of  great  extent  and 
richness.  He  said  that  it  was  subject  to  a  female  cacique, 
and  that  the  neighboring  tribes  paid  her  tribute  in  gold, 
"  whereupon  he  described  the  manner  how  that  gold  was 
dug,  how  it  was  limited  and  refined,  as  if  he  had  seen  it 
done  a  hundred  times,  or  as  if  the  devil  had  taught  him  ; 
inasmuch  that  all  who  understood  the  manner  of  working 
in  the  mines,  averred  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
speak  so  exactly  of  it,  without  having  seen  the  same." 

It  would  be  foreign  to  our  present  subject  to  follow  De 


• 

- 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  133 

Soto  in  this  tour  ;  and,  indeed,  the  position  of  many  of  the 
localities  which  are  described  by  his  historians,  and  the 
distances  and  directions  of  his  wearisome  and  perilous 
journeyings,  must,  at  the  present  day,  be  matters  of  con 
jecture.  It  may  not,  however,  be  amiss  to  mention  briefly 
the  accounts  preserved  of  the  appearance  of  some  of  the 
tribes  through  whose  dominions  he  passed  before  his  re 
turn  to  the  north-western  districts  of  modern  Florida. 

As  he  moved  northward,  a  marked  change  was  per 
ceived  in  the  buildings.  Instead  of  the  grass-covered 
huts  which  served  well  enough  in  the  genial  climate  of  the 
peninsula,  the  people  of  Toalli  had  "for  their  roof  little 
canes  placed  together  like  tile ;  they  were  very  neat. 
Some  had  the  walls  made  of  poles,  so  artificially  inter 
woven,  that  they  seemed  to  be  built  of  stone  and  lime." 
They  could  be  thoroughly  warmed  in  the  winter,  which 
was  there  pretty  severe.  The  dwellings  of  the  caciques 
were  roomy  and  commodious,  and  were  rendered  conspic 
uous  by  a  balcony  over  the  entrance.  Great  skill  was 
shown  by  these  people  in  the  manufacture  of  cloth  from 
grass  or  fibrous  bark,  and  the  deer  skins,  of  which  they 
made  leggins  and  other  articles,  were  admirably  well 
dressed  and  dyed. 

The  most  remarkable  of  the  countries  visited  on  this 
Northern  exploration,  was  Cutifachiqui,  supposed  to  have 
been  situated  far  up  the  Chatahoochee,  which  was  gov 
erned  by  a  female.  The  Spaniards  were  astonished  at  the 
dignity  and  refinement  of  the  queen.  Her  reception  of 
DC  Soto  reminds  one  of  Cleopatra's  first  meeting  with 
Anthony,  as  described  by  the  great  dramatist.  She  was 
brought  down  to  the  water  in  a  palanquin,  and  there  seated 
in  the  stern  of  a  canoe,  upon  cushions  and  carpets,  with  a 
pavilion  overhead.  She  brought  presents  of  mantles  and 
skins  to  the  general,  and  hung  a  necklace  of  large  pearls 
about  his  neck. 


134  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

The  Indians  of  the  country  were  represented  as  "  tawny, 
well-shaped,  and  more  polite  than  any  before  seen  in  Flor 
ida."  Their  numbers  had  been  greatly  reduced,  two  years 
previous,  by  a  pestilence,  and  many  deserted  dwellings 
were  to  be  seen  around  the  town.  The  accounts  given  of 
the  quantity  of  pearls  obtained  here,  by  searching  the 
places  of  sepulture,  are  incredible. 

Departing  from  Cutifachiqui,  De  Soto  had  the  ingrati 
tude  to  carry  the  queen  along  with  him,  compelling  her 
even  to  go  on  foot.  "  In  the  mean  time,  that  she  might 
deserve  a  little  consideration  to  be  had  for  her  still,"  she 
induced  the  Indians  by  whose  houses  the  cavalcade  passed, 
to  join  the  party,  and  lend  their  aid  in  carrying  the  bag 
gage.  She  succeeded,  finally,  in  making  her  escape. 

We  must  now  dismiss  De  Soto  and  his  band  upon  their 
long  journey  through  the  western  wilderness.  He  died 
upon  the  Red  River,  and  those  of  his  companions  who 
escaped  death  from  exposure,  disease,  or  savage  weapons, 
years  after  the  events  above  described,  made  their  way 
down  the  Mississippi  to  the  gulf,  and  thence  reached  the 
Spanish  provinces  of  Mexico. 


CHAPTER    III. 

FROM  THE  CONQUEST  BY  DE  SOTO  TO  THE  YEAR  1818.  —  MISSIONARY 
OPERATIONS  BY  THE  SPANIARDS.  — MOORE'S  INVASION  OF  FLORIDA. 
—  BOWLES.  —  WARS  OF  1812.  — DEFEAT  OF  THE  SEMINOLES  BY  GEN 
ERAL  JACKSON. 

WE  can  but  briefly  touch  upon  the  incidents  of  Florida 
history  for  nearly  two  centuries  after  De  Soto's  invasion. 
The  French  Huguenot  refugees,  who  settled  upon  St. 
John's  river  in  1562,  found  the  natives  placable  and 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  135 

generous.  Although  their  kindness  was  but  ill  recipro 
cated  by  the  colony,  no  very  serious  difficulties  occurred 
between  the  two  races.  The  power  and  self-confidence 
of  the  Indians  had  been  broken,  and  their  numbers  greatly 
reduced,  by  the  desolating  ravages  committed  by  the 
Spaniards. 

In  the  brutal  and  murderous  wars  between  the  French 
and  Spanish  colonies,  which  succeeded  the  new  attempts 
at  settlement,  the  Indians,  although  they  took  no  conspic 
uous  part,  were  occasionally  involved  in  hostilities.  The 
most  important  era  in  the  native  history  of  this  period,  is 
that  of  the  establishment  of  a  regular  missionary  system 
of  instruction. 

The  central  point  of  these  operations  was  the  convent 
of  St.  Helena,  situated  at  St.  Augustine.  Don  Pedro  Me- 
nendez  de  Avilla,  the  Spanish  governor  who  founded  this 
town,  and  who  had  been  commissioned  by  the  king  of 
Spain  to  spread  the  Catholic  religion  among  the  Indians, 
was  indefatigable  in  carrying  out  his  sovereign's  inten 
tions.  The  success  met  with  by  the  ecclesiastics  sent  forth 
among  the  various  tribes,  is  astonishing.  In  the  wilder 
ness  of  central  Florida  may  still  be  seen  the  ruins  of 
buildings  erected  by  their  means  for  religious  exercises. 
Their  efforts  were  not  confined  to  the  vicinity  of  the  col 
onies  :  emissaries  penetrated  the  western  forests,  even  to 
the  Mississippi ;  and  amid  the  rough  mountain  districts  of 
the  north,  they  were  to  be  found  living  with  the  In 
dians,  and  assiduously  instructing  them,  not  only  in  their 
religious  creed,  but  in  language  and  useful  arts. 

The  Spanish  influence  might  perhaps  have  been  main 
tained  over  the  Indians  during  the  existence  of  the  colony, 
but  for  the  jealous  suspicions  of  Cabrana,  who  was  made 
governor  in  1680.  He  put  to  death  the  principal  chief  of 
the  Yemasees,  or  inhabitants  of  East  Florida,  upon  an 
accusation  of  having  given  aid  and  comfort  to  the  English 


136  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

settlers  on  the  St.  John's,  then  called  May  river.  The  con 
sequence  of  this  act  was  a  long  and  troublesome  war. 

The  unfortunate  Indians  were  for  many  years  after  this 
event  made  the  tools  of  the  hostile  European  colonies  : 
first  in  the  French  and  Spanish  wars,  and  afterwards,  in 
170£  and  1704,  when  Governor  Moore,  of  South  Carolina, 
invaded  Florida. 

In  the  north-western  districts  of  the  peninsula  dwelt  the 
Appalachees  ;  the  rest  of  the  country  was  inhabited  by 
the  Yemasees.  These  two  nations  had  formerly  been  upon 
terms  of  the  bitterest  enmity,  but  had  been  reconciled  by 
the  mediation  of  the  Spaniards.  Moore,  followed  by  a  con 
siderable  body  of  English,  and  a  large  force  of  Creek 
Indians,  ravaged  nearly  the  whole  country,  beginning  at 
Appalachee,  and  proceeding  south-easterly  to  the  Atlantic 
sea-board.  He  carried  away  many  Indians  of  the,  con 
quered  tribes  to  the  English  plantations  as  slaves. 

After  a  long  period  of  hopeless  and  profitless  warfare, 
in  which  they  had  nothing  to  gain  by  success,  and  by 
means  of  which  they  were  disabled  from  agriculture  and 
deprived  of  a  settled  abode,  the  scattered  remnants  of  the 
Indian  tribes  gradually  took  up  their  quarters  in  the  heart 
of  the  country,  and  farther  towards  the  south.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  they  acquired  the 
name  of  Seminoles,  said  to  signify  "  wanderers." 

In  the  year  1792,  an  unprincipled  adventurer  from  Eng 
land,  named  Bowles,  made  strenuous  attempts  to  excite 
the  hostility  of  the  Indians  against  the  Spanish  settlers. 
Failing  in  a  direct  attempt  to  plunder  an  Indian  trading- 
house  on  the  St.  John's,  and  finding  himself  abandoned  by 
his  associates,  he  betook  himself  to  the  Creeks,  married  a 
woman  of  that  tribe,  and  persuaded  the  Indians  that  the 
store  of  goods  which  he  had  attacked  belonged  rightfully 
to  them.  He  met  with  considerable  success  in  deceiving 
the  simple-minded  natives,  and,  assisted  by  several  chiefs 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  137 

of  the  Creek  nation,  he  got  possession  of  the  fortress  of 
St.  Marks.  Delivering  himself  up  to  riot  and  drunken 
ness,  with  his  followers,  it  proved  no  difficult  task  for  the 
Spanish  troops  to  retake  the  fort.  Bowles  was  allowed  to 
escape,  but  was  afterwards  delivered  up  by  his  Indian 
allies,  and  taken  to  Cuba  a  prisoner.  The  Seminoles  were 
partially  involved  in  the  wars  of  181£  and  the  two  succeed 
ing  years,  when  the  Americans  invaded  Florida.  Their 
chief  leaders  were  King  Payne  and  his  brother,  the  noted 
Boleck  or  Bowlegs.  Having  done  no  little  damage  by 
burning  buildings  and  plundering  the  plantations  in  their 
vicinity,  they  purposed  to  march  northward,  but  were  en 
gaged  and  routed  nearer  home,  by  General  Newman,  with 
a  body  of  troops  from  Georgia.  This  force  having  crossed 
the  St.  John's,  marched  into  Alachua,  and  encountered 
Payne  within  a  few  miles  of  his  head-quarters.  The  Indians 
fought  bravely,  but  could  not  resist  the  superior  skill  of 
the  whites.  Payne  was  killed,  and  his  men  were  driven 
off  in  the  first  engagement ;  but  they  rallied,  and  returned 
to  the  attack  with  redoubled  energy.  They  possessed  them 
selves  of  the  body  of  their  chief;  and  afterwards,  surround 
ing  the  American  forces,  kept  them  in  a  state  of  siege  for  a 
number  of  days,  imperfectly  protected  by  a  structure  of  logs. 

After  this  period,  and  previous  to  the  cession  of  the  Flor- 
idas  to  the  United  States,  the  affairs  of  the  Seminoles  and 
their  American  neighbors  were  unsettled,  and  some  bloody 
scenes  were  enacted.  Fugitive  slaves  from  the  adjoining 
states  found  a  secure  asylum  among  the  immense  wilds  of 
the  marshy  and  uninhabited  territory  of  the  Floridas,  and 
conflicting  claims  of  Indians  and  whites  respecting  negroes 
long  after  formed  a  fertile  source  of  quarrel  and  complaint. 
Some  of  the  Seminoles  became  possessed  of  large  numbers 
of  slaves,  holding  them  by  undisputed  title. 

In  the  month  of  March,  1818,  General  Jackson,  with 
more  than  three  thousand  men,  over  one  half  of  whom  were 


138 


INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


Creek  warriors,  marched  into  "West  Florida  to  punish  and 
check  the  ravages  of  the  Seminoles.  With  little  opposition 
from  the  inhabitants,  the  towns  surrounding  the  lake  of 
Miccosukie  were  destroyed,  and  much  booty,  in  corn  and 
cattle,  was  secured.  The  Indian  villages  upon  the  Oscilla 
and  St.  Mark's  rivers,  known  as  the  Fowel  towns,  met  with 
a  similar  fate.  St.  Mark's  was  soon  after  occupied  by  the 
invaders,  and,  in  the  ensuing  month,  the  great  body  of  the 
Seminoles,  aided  by  large  numbers  of  negroes,  was  defeated 
on  the  borders  of  the  Suwanee,  and  several  hundred  were 
taken  prisoners.  The  rest  fled  into  East  Florida. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  LATE  FLORIDA  WAR.  — TREATY  OF  MOUL- 
TRIE  CREEK.  —  TREATY  OF  PAYNE'S  LANDING.  —  OSCEOLA.  —  DE 
STRUCTION  OF  DADE'S  COMMAND.  —  BATTLE  OF  THE  OUITHLA- 
COOCHIE.  —  CONFERENCE  WITH  INDIAN  CHIEFS,  BY  GENERAL 
GAINES. 

Hark,  that  quick,  fierce  cry, 
That  rends  the  utter  silence ;  'tis  the  whoop 
Of  battle,  and  a  throng  of  savage  men, 
With  naked  arms,  and  faces  stained  like  blood, 
Fill  the  green  wilderness.         *         *         * 
Soon  the  conquerors 

And  conquered  vanish,  and  the  dead  remain, 
Gashed  horribly  with  tomahawks."  —  BRYANT. 

AFTER  the  whole  country  had  passed  into  the  hands 
of  the  American  government,  it  wns  thought  necessary  to 
take  steps  to  secure  the  frontiers  of  the  white  settlements 
from  the  incursions  of  the  Indians,  and  to  confine  the  lat 
ter  to  certain  specified  districts.  In  the  year  1823,  there 
fore,  on  the  18th  of  September,  a  treaty  was  concluded 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  139 

at  the  camp  on  Moultrie  Creek,  between  commissioners 
from  the  United  States  and  a  number  of  Seminole  chiefs, 
whereby  it  was  stipulated,  that  all  territory  not  reserved 
by  the  articles  should  pass  to  the  American  government ; 
that  the  Indians  should  confine  themselves  to  a  large  dis 
trict  described  by  courses  and  bounds  in  the  heart  of  the 
peninsula;  that  fugitive  slaves  should  be  delivered  up, 
the  reasonable  expenses  of  securing  them  being  provided 
for ;  and  that  certain  sums  should  be  paid  by  the  govern 
ment  to  compensate  for  the  expenses  and  losses  of  removal, 
and  to  establish  the  Indians  comfortably  in  their  new  quar 
ters.  Various  minor  particulars  were  embodied  in  the 
treaty,  which  was  signed  with  mark  and  seal,  .on  the  part 
of  the  Seminoles,  by  the  principal  chief  Micanopy  ;  by 
Tuske  Hajo,  Emathlochee,  Econchatimico,  Tokosemathla 
(known  as  Hicks),  Charley  Amathla,  Tustenugge,  John 
Blunt,  Mulatto  King,  Philip,  Nea  Mathla,  and  twenty-one 
others,  possessed  of  or  claiming  the  authority  of  chiefs. 

An  exception  was  made,  by  an  additional  article,  in  favor 
of  six  of  the  signers ;  who  were  allowed,  in  consideration 
of  former  services,  to  remain  upon  the  lands  then  occupied 
by  them. 

Micanopy  is  described  by  Williams  as  a  "  large  fat  man, 
rather  obtuse  in  intellect,  but  kind  to  his  people  and  slaves." 

The  Indians  were  removed  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  agreement,  and,  until  1835,  no  serious 
hostilities  took  place  between  them  and  the  whites.  Com 
plaints  were,  indeed,  made  on  both  sides  of  unredressed 
wrongs  and  outrages.  The  Alachuan  settlers  lost  their 
cattle,  and  attributed  the  thefts  to  the  Indians  :  on  the 
other  hand,  the  Indians  complained,  with  justice,  of  num 
berless  impositions  and  deceptions  to  which  they  were 
exposed  in  their  intercourse  with  unprincipled  traders 
and  speculators. 

To  quiet  all  disturbance  it  was  at  last  deemed  expedient 


140  INDIAN   KACES   OF   AMERICA. 

by  the  American  government,  to  effect  an  entire  removal 
of  the  Seminoles  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Accord 
ingly,  a  meeting  was  appointed  by  Micanopy  and  the  gov 
ernment  emissaries,  to  be  held  at  Payne's  Landing,  on  the 
Ocklawaha  river,  on  the  eighth  of  May,  1832.  Fifteen 
chiefs  were  present,  and,  after  much  argument,  signed  an 
agreement,  in  behalf  of  themselves  and  their  people,  to 
accede  to  the  proposals  of  government ;  provided  the  new 
lands  assigned  them  should  prove  acceptable  to  a  deputa 
tion  from  their  number  who  should  first  go  to  make  exam 
ination.  The  United  States  were  to  pay  the  tribe  fifteen 
thousand  four  hundred  dollars,  and  the  removal  was  to 
take  place  within  three  years.  The  authority  of  the  sign 
ers  of  this  treaty  to  bind  the  whole  of  the  Seminole  tribes 
has  been  frequently,  and  with  no  little  reason,  called  in 
question.  Certain  it  is,  that  to  a  majority  of  the  nation 
the  proposition  was  highly  distasteful. 

Several  chiefs,  with  Micanopy 's  prime  counsellor,  Abra 
ham,  an  astute  negro,  undertook  the  survey  of  the  western 
reserve,  and  signed  a  writing  expressive  of  their  satisfac 
tion  with  its  appearance.  It  was  claimed  by  the  Indians, 
and  their  partisans,  that  some  deception  was  used  both 
in  the  wording  of  this  certificate,  and  generally  as  to  the 
conclusiveness  of  the  arrangements  entered  into  at  Payne's 
Landing. 

As  the  end  of  the  term  prescribed,  within  which  they 
must  leave  their  homes,  drew  near,  opposition  to  removal 
and  determination  to  resist  it,  continued  to  gain  force 
among  the  Indians.  They  complained  of  the  accounts 
brought  them  of  the  belligerent  character  of  the  savages 
who  would  be  their  near  neighbors,  and  strenuously  ob 
jected  to  a  plan,  set  on  foot  at  Washington,  for  uniting 
their  tribe  with  that  of  their  old  enemies  the  Creeks. 

Serious  disturbances  commenced  in  1835.  Some  months 
previously,  whites  had  been,  upon  one  or  two  occasions, 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  143 

fired  upon  by  the  Indians,  and  mutual  wrongs,  insults, 
and  injuries,  had  excited  general  ill-feeling  between  the 
two  nations.  In  the  month  of  October,  of  this  year,  sev 
eral  Indians  were  detected  in  killing  a  cow  near  Kenapaha 
pond,  not  far  from  Miccosukie.  They  were  set  upon  by 
seven  whites,  who  seized  their  arms,  and  commenced 
beating  them  with  whips.  An  affray  succeeded,  in  which 
several  were  wounded  on  both  sides,  and  two  of  the  In 
dians  were  killed  outright.  This  may  be  considered  to  be 
the  commencement  of  the  war  :  it  was  the  first  blood  shed, 
but  was  soon  followed  by  other  outrages.  The  mail  rider, 
upon  his  route  from  Fort  Brooke,  on  Tampa  Bay,  to  Fort 
King,  fell  a  victim  to  Indian  revenge ;  his  body  was  found 
hacked  and  mutilated. 

It  now  appeared  that  the  Seminoles,  determined  to  main 
tain  their  ground,  had  been,  for  some  time,  purchasing  and 
hoarding  great  stores  of  arms  and  ammunition.  Their 
numbers  were  considerable ;  they  had  among  them  leaders 
known  to  be  bold,  determined,  and  sagacious  ;  they  con 
sidered  themselves  wronged  and  oppressed ;  and  all  these 
circumstances,  combined  with  their  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  impassable  wilderness  to  which  they  could  at  any  mo 
ment  retire,  convinced  the  discerning  that  a  war  with  them 
must  be  fraught  with  danger  and  difficulty,  and  might  be 
indefinitely  protracted. 

The  young  chief,  Osceola,  whose  name  is  more  inti 
mately  associated  than  any  other  with  the  bloody  events 
that  succeeded,  now  began  to  attract  attention  for  his 
acuteness,  energy,  and  determined  hostility  to  the  whites. 
He  was  a  quadroon  of  the  Red  Stick  (anglicized  from  the 
French  "  Baton  Rouge  ")  tribe,  of  Miccosukie  ;  his  mother 
being  a  half-breed,  and  his  father  supposed  to  be  an  Eng 
lishman  named  Powel  —  a  name  ordinarily  borne  by  the 
chief.  Osceola  had  opposed  the  plan  of  removal  at  pre 
vious  councils,  with  great  vigor,  and  on  one  occasion 
9 


144  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA 

demeaned  himself  with  such  violence  that  he  was  seized 
by  General  Thompson,  the  government  agent,  and  kept  for 
a  day  or  two  confined  in  fetters.  Dissembling  his  rage, 
he,  for  a  time,  managed  to  disarm  suspicion ;  bringing  in 
a  great  number  of  his  followers,  and  solemnly  ratifying  the 
treaty. 

His  true  purposes  and  feelings  were  first  known  by  the 
part  he  took  in  the  murder  of  John  Hicks  and  Charley 
Amathla,  two  chiefs  who  had  been  prominent  in  forwarding 
the  treaty  of  removal.  He  obtained  great  ascendency  for 
himself  and  followers  among  the  whole  nation  of  the  Semi- 
noles ;  and  mainly  through  his  influence,  instead  of  col 
lecting  their  cattle  and  stock  for  appraisal,  at  the  time  when 
they  were  notified  that  they  must  leave  the  country,  the 
warriors  of  the  tribe  secreted  their  women  and  children  in 
swamps  remote  from  white  settlements,  and  scoured  the 
country  in  hostile  attitude. 

Troops  were  ordered  to  Florida  from  various  quar 
ters.  Major  Dade,  arriving  at  Tampa  Bay,  with  a  com 
pany  of  United  States'  infantry,  being  reinforced,  with  two 
other  companies,  started  on  the  24th  of  December,  to 
the  relief  of  General  Clinch,  at  Fort  King.  His  force 
consisted  of  over  one  hundred  regular  troops,  supplied 
with  ten  days'  provision  :  they  took  with  them  a  small 
field-piece.  Some  delay  occurred  upon  the  march,  owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  transporting  the  cannon,  and  on  the 
28th  they  had  advanced  no  farther  than  a  few  miles  to 
the  northward  of  the  forks  of  the  Ouithlacoochee.  Here 
they  were  attacked  by  an  unknown  multitude  of  Indians, 
under  the  command  of  Micanopy,  and  his  brother-in-law, 
the  celebrated  Jumper,  who  had  avoided  signing  the 
treaty  of  Moultrie  Creek.  The  savages  were  crouching 
among  the  long  wire-grass,  and  protected  by  the  trunks 
of  the  pine-trees,  when  they  commenced  their  fire.  The 
effect  was  deadly;  Major  Dade  and  a  great  number  of 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  145 

his  men  were  killed  at  the  first  discharge.  The  soldiers 
continued  to  fight  bravely,  sheltering  themselves  as  well 
as  possible  behind  trees ;  and,  as  the  Indians  rose  up, 
poured  in  their  fire  so  briskly  as  to  drive  the  enemy  from 
the  field.  Every  instant  was  now  occupied  in  forming  a 
slight  protection  by  cutting  and  piling  up  the  trunks  of 
pines.  The  Indians,  however,  soon  returned  in  great 
force,  and,  surrounding  the  little  intrenchment,  destroyed 
nearly  every  man  of  the  company.  After  they  had  taken 
possession  of  the  arms  which  lay  scattered  around,  the 
Indians  retired,  but  a  body  of  mounted  negroes  are  said 
to  have  come  up  and  finished  the  murderous  work  by 
knocking  out  the  brains  of  the  wounded.  Only  four  men 
escaped,  being  passed  over  by  the  negroes  and  Indians,  as 
they  lay  wounded  and  motionless  among  the  dead  bodies. 
One  of  these  was  killed  on  the  following  day,  while  en 
deavoring  to  make  his  way  back  to  the  fort :  the  other 
three,  cautiously  threading  their  path  through  the  wilder 
ness,  arrived  safe  at  Tampa  Bay. 

On  the  same  day  with  the  destruction  of  Dade's  com 
mand,  Osceola  revenged  himself  upon  his  hated  foe,  General 
Wiley  Thompson,  by  whom  he  had  been  imprisoned,  as 
before  mentioned.  A  company  of  nine,  among  them  Gen 
eral  Thompson,  were  dining  at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Rogers, 
within  fifty  rods  of  Fort  King,  when  the  house  was  beset 
by  Indians,  and  a  volley  poured  in  upon  the  company. 
Thompson  and  four  others  were  killed ;  the  rest  escaped 
to  the  fort. 

In  the  course  of  the  month,  various  plantations  were 
destroyed  in  different  parts  of  the  country  bordering  on  the 
Indian  reserve,  and  some  skirmishing  took  place.  On  the 
last  day  of  December,  General  Clinch,  who  had  been  sta 
tioned  at  Fort  Drane,  thirty  miles  north-west  of  Fort  King, 
being  on  his  march  towards  Osceola's  head-quarters  with  a 
considerable  force  of  Florida  volunteers  and  about  two  him- 


146  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

dred  regular  troops,  encountered  the  enemy  upon  the  left 
bank  of  the  Ouithlacooch.ee. 

The  Indians,  numbering,  as  was  supposed,  about  six 
hundred,  headed  by  Osceola,  fell  upon  the  first  division 
of  the  American  army  that  had  effected  the  passage  of  the 
river.  The  stream,  contrary  to  expectation,  was  in  no 
place  fordable,  and  the  only  means  of  crossing  was  by  a 
single  canoe ;  the  horses  passed  the  river  by  swimming. 
The  Indian  commander  evinced  great  bravery  and  con 
summate  marksmanship,  and  his  men,  firing  from  the  cover 
of  a  thick  growth  of  underwood,  and  from  behind  trees, 
proved  difficult  opponents  to  dislodge.  The  troops,  with 
one  or  two  slight  exceptions,  stood  firm,  and  after  repeated 
charges,  drove  the  Indians  from  the  field.  In  this  engage 
ment  more  than  fifty  Americans  were  wounded,  and  several 
killed ;  the  loss  of  the  enemy  was  reported  to  have  been 
over  one  hundred. 

Additional  troops  from  Louisiana,  and  forces  connected 
with  the  marine  service,  were  collected  at  Tampa  Bay ;  and 
a  large  detachment,  under  General  Gaines,  marched  to  Fort 
King,  where  they  arrived  on  the  22d  of  February.  Pro 
visions  being  scarce,  and  the  state  of  the  roads  being  such 
that  supplies  could  not  be  easily  procured,  Gaines  and  his 
force  commenced  their  return  to  Tampa,  by  the  route  for 
merly  taken  by  Clinch,  across  the  Ouithlacoochee.  On  the 
bank  of  the  river,  no  great  distance  from  the  scene  of  the 
last  battle,  the  army  was,  in  a  manner,  surrounded  and  be 
sieged  for  more  than  a  week,  by  Indians,  apparently  to  the 
number  of  from  one  to  two  thousand.  A  galling  fire  was 
kept  up  at  every  exposed  point.  Word  was  sent  to  Fort 
Drane,  where  General  Clinch  was  stationed,  for  relief,  as 
the  provisions  of  the  army  were  nearly  expended. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  a  conference  was  held  between 
the  American  officers  and  three  of  the  principal  Indian 
chiefs  —  Osceola,  Jumper,  and  Alligator.  The  camp  had 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  147 

been  hailed  during  the  previous  night,  and  a  wish  for  a 
parley  expressed  on  the  part  of  the  savages.  The  chiefs 
professed  a  desire  for  peace ;  said  they  were  weary  of  war, 
and  that,  if  they  could  be  allowed  to  retire  quietly  beyond 
the  Ouithlacoochee,  and  could  remain  there  unmolested, 
they  would  create  no  further  disturbance.  They  were 
informed  that  the  general  had  no  authority  to  conclude 
any  agreement  with  them,  and  that  their  only  course  was 
to  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  the  government,  as 
forces,  which  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  resist, 
were  on  their  way  to  enforce  submission.  The  Indian 
chiefs  wished  for  an  opportunity  to  take  counsel  with  their 
great  King  Micanopy,  before  returning  an  answer  ;  but 
General  Clinch  appearing,  with  the  desired  relief,  and 
engaging  with  a  detachment  of  the  Indians,  the  meeting 
was  broken  up.  They  agreed,  however,  before  retiring, 
to  draw  off  their  warriors  to  the  south  bank  of  the  river, 
and  to  hold  themselves  ready  to  attend  further  council 
when  notified. 

Nothing  further  was  effected,  and  the  combined  Ameri 
can  forces  returned  to  Fort  Drane. 


148  INDIAN  EACES   OP  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    V. 

CONDITION  OF  EAST  FLORIDA.  —  GENERAL  SCOTT'S  CAMPAIGN.  —  GAR 
RISON  BESIEGED  ON  THE  OUITHLACOOCHEE.  —  OCCURRENCES  DUR 
ING  THE  SUMMER  OF  1836.  — ARRIVAL  OF  CREEK  ALLIES.  —  COLONEL 
LANE'S  EXPEDITION  FROM  TAMPA.  —  BATTLES  OF  THE  WAHOO 
SWAMP.  — GENERAL  JESSUP  APPOINTED  TO  THE  COMMAND  IN 
FLORIDA. 

"  *     *    And  there  are  tales  of  sad  reality 
In  the  dark  legends  of  thy  border  war." 

HALLECK. 

BY  this  time  grievous  injury  had  been  done  by  the  In 
dians  to  the  settlements  in  East  Florida.  Philip  was  the 
principal  leader  in  the  devastations  that  took  place  in  that 
region.  New  Smyrna,  at  Mosquito  Inlet,  was  destroyed, 
and  the  plantations  upon  Halifax  river,  to  the  northward 
of  the  town,  were  ravaged  and  the  settlers  driven  off.  The 
white  inhabitants  of  the  interior  were  every  where  obliged 
either  to  abandon  their  homes,  or  to  erect  defences  and  to 
establish  a  regular  watch. 

General  Scott  having  been  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  army  in  Florida  during  the  spring  of  this  year  (1836), 
formed  a  plan  to  penetrate  the  heart  of  the  country,  with  a 
large  force,  from  three  different  quarters  simultaneously, 
and  thus  surround  the  Indians  and  cut  off  their  retreat. 
Generals  Clinch  and  Eustice,  and  Colonel  Lindsey  were 
appointed  to  lead  the  three  divisions.  General  Clinch's 
party  was  attended  by  General  Scott  in  person.  The  army 
was  put  in  motion  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  March. 

The  service  was  accomplished,  but  with  little  good 
effect.  The  Indians,  possessing  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
country,  instead  of  opposing  the  advancing  columns  in 
force,  hung  about  the  flanks  and  rear  of  the  army,  and  kept 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.       .  149 

up  a  vexatious  skirmishing.  No  important  engagement 
took  place,  and  the  three  divisions,  after  lying  for  a  few 
days  at  Tampa,  were  again  put  in  motion.  Separate  de 
tachments  were  ordered  to  proceed,  one  to  Fort  Drane,  one 
to  attack  the  enemy  at  Pease  Creek,  to  the  southward,  one 
to  ravage  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Ouithlacoochee, 
and  another  to  march  to  Volusia. 

Little  benefit  appears  to  have  resulted  from  the  cam 
paign  :  a  careful  attention  to  the  plans  of  Indian  warfare 
laid  down,  at  an  earlier  age,  by  Captain  Benjamin  Church, 
of  New  England,  or  by  the  redoubtable  pioneer  of  Vir 
ginia,  Captain  John  Smith,  might  have  produced  effects  far 
more  decided. 

A  small  detachment  of  troops  had  been  left,  about  the 
middle  of  March,  to  guard  a  quantity  of  provision,  stored 
in  a  rude  building  fifteen  miles  up  the  Ouithlacoochee. 
Not  having  been  heard  from  for  many  weeks  after,  they 
were  supposed  to  have  been  cut  off  by  the  Indians,  and 
no  attempt  was  made  to  relieve  them  until  towards  the 
latter  part  of  May,  when  three  of  the  garrison  managed 
to  escape  the  vigilance  of  their  besiegers,  and  to  convey 
intelligence  of  their  condition  to.  Tallahassee.  The  small 
party  had  been  defending  their  post  gallantly  for  more 
than  two  months  against  hosts  of  the  enemy  ;  their  block 
house  had  been  partially  destroyed  over  their  heads,  so 
that  they  were  exposed  to  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather, 
and  their  provision  consisted  entirely  of  corn.  A  steamer 
was  sent  to  the  river's  mouth,  and  the  company  was  brought 
down  to  it  in  a  barge. 

As  the  season  advahced,  the  enervating  influence  of  the 
climate  produced  its  natural  effect  upon  the  troops.  The 
fevers  of  the  country  attacked  those  who  were  not  accli 
mated,  and  the  rest  were  but  poorly  conditioned  for  an 
arduous  campaign.  Active  operations  for  the  most  part 
ceased ;  the  volunteers  were  discharged,  and  the  regular 


150  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

soldiers  distributed  among  the  different  forts  extending 
from  St.  Augustine  across  the  country  to  the  Suwanne. 
The  Indians  were  free  to  roam  where  they  listed  through  the 
immense  wilderness  to  the  southward,  and  to  lay  plans  of 
secret  attack  upon  every  exposed  settlement  or  plantation. 

About  the  end  of  April,  a  terrible  massacre  took  place 
at  Charlotte  Harbor  ;  and  in  May  and  June,  the  country 
between  the  St.  Johns  and  the  Atlantic,  nearly  as  far  north 
as  St.  Augustine,  was  generally  ravaged  by  the  Indians. 
Their  attacks  extended  to  the  vicinity  of  Mandarin,  only 
sixteen  or  eighteen  miles  south  of  Jacksonville.  A  Mr. 
Motte,  residing  at  that  place,  was  murdered,  and  his  estab 
lishment  was  destroyed. 

Early  in  June,  the  Indians,  emboldened  by  success  in  the 
destruction  of  plantations,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  whites 
from  such  extensive  districts,  beset  the  fort  at  Micanopy, 
which  was  garrisoned  by  a  company  under  the  command 
of  Major  Heillman,  then  at  the  head  of  the  army  west  of 
St.  John's  river.  They  were  driven  off,  but  not  without 
some  loss  on  the  part  of  the  whites. 

In  July,  Fort  Drane  had  become  so  unhealthy  that  it 
was  thought  necessary  to  abandon  it.  As  the  troops  were 
on  their  march  upon  the  evacuation  of  the  place,  they 
had  a  sharp  brush  with  some  hundreds  of  Indians  who 
lay  in  wait  for  them  near  Welika  Pond,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Micanopy.  Towards  the  close  of  the  month  the  light 
house  at  Cape  Florida  was  destroyed.  The  keeper,  named 
Thompson,  was  singularly  preserved  by  clinging  to  the  top 
of  the  stone  wall  of  the  building,  while  the  wood-work 
was  burned  out  from  within.  After  the  Indians  had,  by 
their  own  act,  cut  off  the  means  of  access  to  the  summit, 
they  descried  the  unfortunate  man,  half  dead  with  the  heat 
and  smoke,  and  shot  at  him  a  long  time  without  effect. 
He  was  able  to  crouch  in  such  a  manner  upon  the  top  of  the 
wall  as  to  elude  their  aim,  until  they  took  their  departure. 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  151 

It  would  be  impracticable,  in  a  sketch  of  this  kind,  to 
give  full  particulars  of  the  skirmishing,  plundering,  and 
murders  which  were  to  be  •  heard  of  on  every  side  during 
the  summer  of  1836.  About  the  middle  of  August,  it  was 
ascertained  that  Osceola  and  a  large  company  of  his  fol 
lowers  were  staying  in  the  vicinity  of  the  abandoned  Fort 
Drane,  for  the  sake  of  securing  the  corn  growing  upon  the 
neighboring  plantations.  They  were  attacked  and  defeated 
by  Major  Pierce. 

In  September  a  marauding  party  of  Indians  made  their 
way  to  within  seven  miles  of  Jacksonville,  where  they 
attacked  the  house  of  Mr.  Higginbotham.  There  were 
only  two  men  in  the  house,  but,  having  a  number  of  guns, 
and  receiving  resolute  assistance  from  the  women  of  the 
family,  they  successfully  resisted  the  assault.  After  the 
Indians  had  retired,  Higginbotham  hastened  with  all  speed 
to  Jacksonville,  and  procured  a  party  of  twelve  men, 
under  Major  Hart,  to  pursue  them.  Taking  the  Indian 
trail,  the  company  followed  it  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Johns, 
ten  miles  distant  from  the  scene  of  the  attack.  The  build 
ing  had  been  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  half-burned  body 
of  its  proprietor  lay  among  the  ruins.  Mrs.  Johns  had 
been  scalped,  and  left  to  perish.  Before  their  departure, 
one  of  the  savages  set  fire  to  her  clothes,  but  she  managed 
to  extinguish  the  flame,  and  to  creep  away  from  the  burning 
building.  In  this  miserable  condition  she  was  discovered, 
lying  by  the  border  of  the  swamp,  and  kindly  cared  for. 

The  perpetrators  of  this  outrage,  having  secured  good 
horses,  effected  their  escape. 

Before  the  end  of  this  month,  additional  forces  from 
Tennessee  were  brought  into  Florida,  and  a  body  of  nearly 
a  thousand  Creeks,  led  by  the  chiefs  Paddy  Carr  and  Jim 
Boy,  came  to  lend  their  aid  against  the  Indians  of  the  penin 
sula.  An  army  of  from  one  to  two  thousand  men,  includ 
ing  the  Tennessee  brigade,  under  Governor  Call,  marched, 


152  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

in  the  beginning  of  October,  to  the  deserted  Fort  Drane, 
but  found  that  the  Indians  had  recently  left  their  quarters 
in  that  neighborhood.  The  trail  of  the  fugitives  was  fol 
lowed  towards  the  Ouithlacoochee,  but  the  pursuit  of  sav 
ages,  in  their  own  country,  especially  in  such  a  country  as 
Florida,  by  regular  troops,  encumbered  with  baggage,  and 
ignorant  of  the  fastnesses  of  the  enemy,  proved  as  futile 
in  that  instance  as  upon  former  and  subsequent  occasions. 
Little  was  accomplished  against  the  enemy,  who  were  ena 
bled,  at  any  time,  to  retreat  beyond  the  reach  of  their 
pursuers,  and  only  showed  themselves  where  they  could 
attack  the  whites  at  a  disadvantage.  Under  existing  cir 
cumstances,  the  main  force  was  obliged  to  return  to  Fort 
Drane,  not  without  the  loss  of  a  great  number  of  their 
horses  from  hard  service  upon  indifferent  food. 

Colonel  Lane,  with  a  strong  force  of  Creek  Indians  and 
regular  troops,  made  an  excursion  into  the  enemy's  country 
from  Tampa  Bay,  during  the  early  part  of  this  month. 
Near  the  Ocklikany  Lake,  called  the  Spotted  Lake,  from 
the  great  number  of  small  wooded  islands  which  cover  its 
surface,  about  sixty  miles  from  Tampa,  an  Indian  trail 
was  struck.  The  party  followed  this  track  to  the  south 
ward,  and  came  successively  upon  several  considerable 
Indian  villages  deserted  by  the  inhabitants.  Large  corn 
fields  were  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  these  settlements,  and 
some  hundreds  of  cattle  were  secured  by  the  Creek  Indians 
of  the  company.  At  one  advantageous  post,  where  the 
thick  underwood  on  the  borders  of  a  small  lake  offered 
protection  to  an  ambush,  the  Seminoles  attempted,  unsuc 
cessfully,  to  resist  the  invaders.  They  were  driven  out 
into  the  open  country  and  dispersed.  Lane  and  his  detach 
ment  joined  General  Call  at  Fort  Drane  on  the  19th.  He 
survived  this  service  but  a  few  days,  being  found  in  his 
tent,  nearly  dead,  with  the  point  of  his  sword  thrust  into 
the  brain  over  his  eye:  there  was  little  doubt  among  those 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  153 

conversant  with  the  circumstances  of  his  death,  but  that  it 
occurred  accidentally. 

The  combined  army,  of  more  than  two  thousand  men, 
marched  to  the  Ouithlacoochee  in  November.  This  region, 
which  had  been  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Seminoles  through 
out  the  war,  was  now  found  entirely  abandoned,  and  trails 
were  discovered  trending  towards  the  great  Wahoo  Swamp. 
That  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  had  *moved  in  that 
direction,  was  also  affirmed  by  an  old  negro,  found  at  an 
abandoned  village  on  the  river.  Taking  up  the  pursuit, 
a  portion  of  the  American  forces  followed  the  trail,  and 
had  a  sharp  engagement  with  the  Indians  on  the  border 
of  the  swamp.  There  was,  however,  abundant  space  for 
the  fugitives  to  retreat  into,  where  the  whites  were  unable 
to  follow  them,  and  no  heavy  loss  occurred  on  either  side. 

Another  battle  took  place  on  the  21st,  in  which  the 
Seminoles  displayed  more  resolution,  and  stood  the  charge 
of  the  regular  troops  with  greater  firmness,  than  had  ever 
before  been  observed  in  them.  The  dangers  of  the  exten 
sive  morass  to  which  they  retreated  proved  more  insur 
mountable  than  those  attendant  upon  the  contest  with  the 
savages  themselves. 

Provisions  being  nearly  exhausted,  and  it  being  impos 
sible  to  procure  supplies  in  such  a  wilderness,  the  army 
proceeded  to  Yolusia,  between  Lake  George  and  Dexter's 
Lake.  There  it  was  joined  by  General  Jessup,  who  had 
been  appointed  to  the  chief  command  in  Florida,  with  four 
hundred  mounted  volunteers  from  Alabama. 


154  INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

PURSUIT  OF  THE  SEMINOLES  SOUTHWARD.  — ENCOUNTER  ON  THE 
HATCHEE  LUSUEE.  —  CONFERENCE  AND  TRUCE  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 
—  RENEWAL  OF  THE  TREATY  OF  PAYNE'S  LANDING. —NEGLECT 
ON  THE  PART  OF  THE  INDIANS  TO  COMPLY  WITH  ITS  PROVIS 
IONS.— CAPTURE,  SURRENDER,  AND  TREACHEROUS  SEIZURE  OF 
VARIOUS  CHIEFS.  —  DEATH  OF  OSCEOLA.  — COLONEL  TAYLOR'S 
CAMPAIGN. 

WE  have  already  given  more  space  to  the  details  of  the 
Florida  campaign,  than  such  ill-advised,  ill-conducted,  and 
trivial  operations  deserve.  We  would  be  the  last  to  en 
deavor  to  detract  from  the  deserved  laurels  of  many  of 
the  brave  men  who  were  engaged  in  them,  while  we  can 
but  lament  that  their  lives  should  have  been  sacrificed ; 
less  by  the  weapons  of  the  savages  than  by  the  diseases  of 
the  country ;  that  the  public  money  should  have  been 
squandered;  and  the  whole  peninsula  so  long  kept  in  a 
state  of  agitation  and  suspense,  when  pacific  measures 
might  have  kept  matters  comparatively  at  rest. 

Before  the  first  of  January,  General  Jessup,  marching 
with  his  troops  from  Volusia,  with  the  cooperation  of  Colonel 
Foster,  despatched  from  Tampa,  ranged  the  whole  country 
on  the  Ouithlacoochee  and  other  haunts  of  the  Seminoles, 
and  examined  the  deep  recesses  of  the  Wahoo  morass, 
without  finding  an  enemy.  The  Indian  trails  which  were 
observed,  all  led  to  the  unexplored  wilderness  of  the  south. 
Thither  he  started  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitive  Seminoles, 
on  the  22d  of  January  (1837).  On  the  succeeding  day,  a 
detachment,  under  Colonel  Cawfield,  surprised  Osuchee  or 
Cooper,  a  Seminole  chief,  then  encamped  at  Ahapopka 
Lake,  from  which  flows  the  Ocklawaha.  The  chief  and 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  155 

several  of  his  warriors  were  killed,  and  a  number  of  pris 
oners  were  taken. 

The  main  army,  still  following  the  course  of  the  Indian 
track,  now  came  to  the  high  ridge  of  sandy  hills  lying  di 
rectly  south  of  Lake  Ahapopka.  The  second  day  after 
passing  these  hills,  cattle  of  the  Indians  were  seen,  and 
shortly  after  a  scouting  party,  under  Colonel  Henderson, 
discovered  the  enemy  upon  the  borders  of  the  stream  of 
Hatchee  Lustee.  The  troops  instantly  charged,  and  drove 
them  into  the  swamp,  taking  twenty  or  thirty  prisoners, 
mostly  women  and  children. 

On  the  same  day,  another  large  body  of  Indians  was 
discovered  a  little  farther  to  the  westward,  who  fled  pre 
cipitately  upon  the  approach  of  troops.  One  of  the  Semi- 
noles  was  found  watching  by  his  sick  wife,  who  had  been 
left  as  unable  to  travel.  This  Indian  was  sent  the  next 
morning  (January  28th)  to  invite  the  Seminole  chiefs  to  a 
conference.  The  army  was  marched  to  the  border  of  To- 
hopekaliga  Lake,  (into  which  empties  the  Hatchee  Lustee 
Creek,)  and  encamped  between  its  waters  and  the  Big 
Cypress  swamp,  to  await  the  return  of  the  messenger.  He 
made  his  appearance  on  the  following  day,  bringing  intelli 
gence  from  the  hostile  chiefs,  who  agreed  to  have  a  parley. 
The  first  who  presented  himself,  on  the  part  of  the  Semi- 
noles,  was  Abraham,  Micanopy's  negro  counsellor.  Hav 
ing  held  a  consultation  with  General  Jessup,  he  returned 
to  his  people;  but  three  days  after,  February  3d,  escorted 
Jumper,  Alligator,  and  two  other  chiefs  to  the  camp.  It 
was  concluded  that  a  grand  talk  should  be  held,  and  a  new 
treaty  entered  into  on  the  18th  of  the  month,  at  Fort 
Dade,  on  the  Big  Ouithlacoochee.  To  that  establishment 
the  army  immediately  repaired,  as  it  was  agreed  that  hos 
tilities  should  be  suspended  until  after  the  council. 

On  the  8th  of  the  month,  several  hundred  Indians,  led 
by  Philip,  the  chief  who  had  long  been  the  terror  of  the 


156  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

eastern  portion  of  the  peninsula,  attacked  Colonel  Fanning, 
then  in  the  occupation  of  a  station  on  Lake  Monroe,  with 
a  mixed  garrison  of  regulars,  volunteers,  and  Creeks.  The 
Creek  chief  Paddy  Carr  was  of  the  company.  The  as 
sailants  were  driven  off  with  loss,  and,  in  their  retreat,  met 
a  messenger  sent  by  Micanopy  to  convey  intelligence  of 
the  truce. 

Some  delays  occurred  in  bringing  about  the  conference 
assigned  for  the  18th,  but  at  last  most  of  the  principal  Semi- 
nole  chiefs  signed  a  treaty  similar  to  that  of  Payne's  Land 
ing,  whereby  they  agreed  to  remove  west  of  the  Missis 
sippi.  The  United  States  government  was  to  make  remu 
neration  for  the  stock  which  must  necessarily  be  left  behind, 
and  to  pay  stipulated  annuities,  as  before  agreed.  There 
can  be  but  little  doubt  that,  even  on  this  occasion,  the  In 
dians  had  no  real  intention  of  complying  with  the  requisi 
tions  of  government.  Few  came  in  on  the  days  appointed, 
and  rumors  were  circulated  among  them  —  whether  actually 
believed,  or  only  used  as  an  excuse  for  absenting  them 
selves,  does  not  appear  —  that  the  whites  intended  to  de 
stroy  the  whole  tribe  as  soon  as  they  should  be  secured  on 
board  the  government  vessels. 

Osceola  and  Coe  Hajo,  still  pretending  that  their  en 
deavor  was  to  collect  their  people  for  transportation,  held 
a  great  festival  or  game  at  ball  near  Fort  Mellon,  upon 
Lake  Monroe,  at  the  eastern  part  of  the  peninsula.  They 
doubtless  chose  this  place  for  gathering  their  followers,  as 
being  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  point  of  embarkation  on 
Tampa  Bay.  On  the  £d  of  June,  Osceola  took  two  hun 
dred  of  his  warriors  to  Tampa  Bay,  and,  either  by  force  or 
persuasion,  induced  the  old  king  Micanopy,  and  all  the 
other  Indians  who  had  rendezvoused  there  in  pursuance  of 
the  treaty,  to  move  off  again  to  the  wilderness. 

Hearing  of  this,  the  commandant  at  Fort  Mellon, 
Colonel  Harney,  made  up  his  mind  to  entrap  such  of  the 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  157 

chiefs  as  were  in  his  vicinity,  under  pretence  of  a  confer 
ence  ;  and  retaliate  upon  the  Seminoles  for  their  breach  of 
faith  at  Tampa,  by  seizing  those  who  should  appear.  Os- 
ceola  got  wind  of  the  design,  and  it  consequently  proved 
futile. 

Fort  Mellon  and  Yolusia  were  abandoned  during  this 
month,  the  sickness  attendant  upon  the  season  having 
commenced  its  ravages  among  the  troops,  and  the  Indians 
*were  left  free  to  roam  over  that  whole  portion  of  the  coun 
try,  while  the  settlers  whose  dwellings  were  exposed  to 
their  assaults,  were  forced  to  fly  to  places  of  protection. 

The  last  of  the  month,  Captain  Walton,  keeper  of  the 
floating  light  on  Carysford  reef,  was  killed,  together  with 
one  of  his  assistants,  at  Key  Largos,  the  most  considerable 
of  the  Florida  Keys.  He  had  a  garden  at  this  island,  and 
had  just  landed,  coming  from  the  light,  when  he  and  his 
party  were  fired  upon.  The  whole  south-eastern  sea-coast 
was  then  in  undisturbed  possession  of  the  hostile  In 
dians. 

In  September,  General  Hernandez,  stationed  at  Fort 
Peyton,  a  few  miles  from  St.  Augustine,  made  an  expedi 
tion  to  the  southward,  and  captured  the  dreaded  Philip, 
Uchee  Billy,  and  nearly  one  hundred  other  Indians  and 
negroes.  Philip's  son,  coming  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  St. 
Augustine,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  retained  in  captivity. 

Other  chiefs  and  warriors  —  among  them  Tustenugge  — 
delivered  themselves  up  at  Black  Creek,  and  several  cap 
tures  were  made  at  other  points  ;  but  the  most  important 
transaction  of  this  autumn  —  whether  justifiable  or  not  — 
was  the  seizure  of  Osceola,  Alligator,  and  six  other  of  the 
leading  Seminoles.  They  had  come  into  the  neighborhood 
of  Fort  Peyton,  and  sent  word  to  General  Jess  up  that  they 
desired  a  parley. 

General  Hernandez  was  deputed  to  hold  the  conference, 
but  the  talk  of  the  Indians  being  pronounced  "  evasive  and 


158  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

unsatisfactory,"  the  commander-in-chief  despatched  a  force 
to  capture  the  whole  body  ;  these  chiefs  accordingly,  with 
over  sixty  followers,  fell  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies. 
The  excuse  given  for  this  act  was,  that  the  treachery  of 
the  Indians  upon  former  occasions  had  deprived  them  of 
all  claims  to  good  faith  on  the  part  of  the  whites.  Osceola 
was  removed  to  Charleston,  and  died  in  confinement  on 
the  30th  of  January,  1838.  If  he  had  survived,  he  was 
to  have  been  taken,  with  other  Seminoles,  to  the  west  of  « 
the  Mississippi. 

In  the  same  month,  various  other  captures  were 
made,  until  the  Indians  in  bondage  at  St.  Augustine 
numbered  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  United 
States  forces,  consisting  of  regulars,  volunteers,  seamen, 
and  Indian  allies,  distributed  among  the  various  posts  in 
Florida  at  this  time,  are  set  down  at  little  short  of  nine 
thousand  men! 

Sam  Jones,  or  Abiaca,  was,  after  the  capture  of  Osceola, 
one  of  the  most  forward  of  the  Seminole  chiefs.  He  ap 
pears  to  have  been  spokesman  at  a  conference  held,  not  far 
from  this  time,  between  his  tribe  and  deputies  from  the 
Creek  nation,  bearing  proposals  and  advice  from  their  cel 
ebrated  chief  John  Ross. 

We  must  next  proceed  to  the  campaign  of  Colonel 
Zachary  Taylor,  the  hero  of  many  battles,  and  afterwards 
the  distinguished  president  of  the  United  States.  He  left 
Fort  Gardner,  a  station  sixty  miles  due  east  from  Fort 
Brooke,  011  Tampa  Bay,  with  some  six  hundred  troops,  to 
follow  the  enemy  into  their  hidden  retreats  at  the  south. 
Pursuing  the  course  of  the  Kissimee,  the  army  had  ad 
vanced  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  great  lake  Okeechobee, 
on  the  northern  borders  of  the  unexplored  everglades, 
when  intelligence  was  obtained  from  a  prisoner,  that  the 
Seminoles  were  encamped  in  force  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  Kissimee  lake.  With  a  portion  of  his  army,  Colonel 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  159 

Taylor  crossed  the  river,  and  hastened  to  attack  the  In 
dians  in  the  hammock  where  they  were  posted.  Never 
before  had  the  Indian  rifles  done  more  deadly  execution, 
and  never  had  their  warriors  evinced  more  determined 
courage.  They  were  with  great  difficulty  dislodged  and 
dispersed  :  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  on  the  part 
of  the  whites  considerably  exceeded  that  of  the  Indians, 
no  less  than  one  hundred  and  eleven  of  Col.  Taylor's  men 
being  wounded,  and  twenty-eight  killed. 


CHAPTEK  VII. 

VARIOUS  MINOR  ENGAGEMENTS.  —  SURRENDER  OF  LARGE  NUMBERS  OF 
INDIANS.  —  CONTINUANCE  OF  DEPREDATIONS.  —  BLOODHOUNDS  FROM 
CUBA.  — ATTACK  UPON  A  COMPANY  OF  ACTORS.  —  SEMINOLE  CHIEFS 
BROUGHT  BACK  FROM  THE  WEST  TO  REPORT  THEIR  CONDITION  TO 
THEIR  COUNTRYMEN.  — COL.  BARNEY'S  EXPEDITION  TO  THE  EVER 
GLADES.— END  OF  THE  WAR.  — INDIANS  SHIPPED  WEST.  —  NUMBERS 
STILL  REMAINING  IN  FLORIDA. 

DURING  December,  (1837,)  several  encounters  of  minor 
importance  took  place  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
Many  prisoners  were  taken  in  the  district  between  Fort 
Mellon  and  Lake  Poinsett,  near  the  head  waters  of  the  St. 
John's,  and  a  small  skirmish  occurred  as  far  north  as  the 
Suwanne.  There  was  a  more  severely  contested  action 
near  Fort  Fanning,  on  this  river,  early  in  January,  (1838,) 
in  which  the  whites  met  with  some  loss,  but  succeeded  in 
taking  a  number  of  prisoners. 

On  the  eastern  sea-coast,  not  far  from  Jupiter  Inlet,  a 
company  under  Lieutenant  Powell  was  worsted  in  an  en 
gagement,  and  retreated  with  loss.  The  Indians  had  been 
driven  into  a  swamp  on  Lochahatchee  Creek,  where  they 
10 


160  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

made  a  spirited  resistance  until  their  pursuers  found  it 
necessary  to  retreat. 

General  Jessup  attacked  and  broke  up  this  encampment 
of  the  Indians,  towards  the  end  of  January.  He  was  him 
self  wounded  in  the  action.  Toskegee  was  the  chief  who 
commanded  the  Seminoles  in  both  these  battles. 

The  general  was  now  anxious  to  conclude  a  treaty  with 
the  Indians,  by  which  they  should  be  allowed  to  remain  in 
their  own  country,  confining  themselves  to  specified  dis 
tricts.  But  the  government  refused  assent  to  any  such 
proposition.  He  nevertheless  proceeded  to  bring  about 
parleys  with  his  savage  opponents,  as  it  was  evident  that 
desultory  hostilities  might  be  indefinitely  protracted. 

The  Seminoles,  miserably  reduced  by  the  troubled  life 
they  had  led  so  long,  and  weary  of  profitless  warfare,  hard 
ship  and  exposure,  were  induced  to  surrender  in  large 
numbers.  They  apparently  expected  to  be  allowed  to  re 
main  in  the  country,  as  they  were  assured  by  the  officers 
with  whom  they  treated  that  every  endeavor  would  be 
made  to  procure  that  permission  from  the  government. 

When  General  Jessup  left  Florida,  in  April,  1838,  leav 
ing  General  Taylor  in  command,  more  than  two  thousand 
of  the  dangerous  tribe  were  in  the  power  of  the  whites. 
Part  of  these  had  been  captured,  but  the  larger  portion 
had  delivered  themselves  up  upon  fair  promises. 

Philip  and  Jumper  both  died  on  their  route  to  the  west, 
the  former  on  board  the  vessel  in  which  he  was  embarked, 
and  the  latter  at  New  Orleans. 

The  hopes  entertained,  after  these  events,  that  the  war 
was  substantially  at  an  end,  proved  fallacious.  Murders 
were  committed  during  the  summer  and  fall,  by  prowling 
parties  of  Indians  in  widely  distant  parts  of  the  country. 
On  the  Ocklikoni  and  Oscilla  rivers,  in  West  Florida, 
small  establishments  suffered  from  the  depreciations  of  the 
savages ;  and  their  hostile  feeling  was  manifest  whenever 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  161 

a  vessel  was  in  distress  upon  the  dangerous  eastern  and 
southern  coast. 

This  desultory  warfare,  marked  by  many  painful  and 
horrible  details  of  private  suffering  and  disaster,  continued 
until  the  spring  of  1839.  No  conference^  could  be  ob 
tained  with  the  leading  chiefs,  and  Indians  were  every 
where  lurking  in  small  bands  ready  to  fire  upon  the  sol 
itary  traveller,  or  to  rush  at  an  unguarded  hour  upon  an 
isolated  plantation. 

General  Macomb,  who  had  command  of  the  army  dur 
ing  April  and  May,  succeeded  in  bringing  about  a  parley 
with  some  of  the  Seminoles,  in  which  it  was  agreed  that 
the  tribe  should  stay  peaceably  in  Florida  until  intelligence 
could  be  brought  of  the  safe  arrival  and  prosperous  con 
dition  of  the  captives  already  shipped  westward.  The 
Tallahassee  chief,  Tigertail,  and  Abiaca,  having  had  no 
concern  with  this  treaty,  refused  to  abide  by  it,  and  bloody 
skirmishes  and  assassinations  continued  to  be  heard  from 
on  every  side. 

The  government  of  Florida  now  offered  a  bounty  of  two 
hundred  dollars  for  each  Indian  secured  or  killed.  We 
cannot  even  enumerate  one  half  the  petty  engagements  and 
sanguinary  transactions  of  the  ensuing  winter  and  spring. 
In  March,  1840,  bloodhounds  were  brought  into  Florida 
from  Cuba,  to  aid  in  tracking  and  ferreting  out  the  savages 
from  their  lurking  places.  General  Taylor  had  been  au 
thorized,  during  the  preceding  autumn,  to  procure  this 
novel  addition  to  the  efficient  force  of  the  army,  and  na 
tives  of  the  island  were  also  secured  to  train  and  manage 
the  dogs.  There  was  a  great  outcry  raised,  and  perhaps 
justly,  at  this  barbarous  plan  of  warfare,  but  little  seems 
to  have  resulted  from  the  operation  except  the  furnishing 
a  valuable  breed  of  the  animal  for  future  domestic  use,  and 
the  supplying  of  excellent  subject  matter  for  the  caricatur 
ists,  who  made  the  war  a  theme  for  ridicule. 


162  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Before  the  1st  of  June,  many  more  families  were  mas 
sacred,  and  several  bloody  engagements  occurred  between 
comparatively  small  companies  of  whites  and  Indians. 
Near  the  close  of  May,  a  ludicrous  though  tragical  inci 
dent  took  place  on  the  road  between  Picolata  and  St. 
Augustine. 

A  company  of  play-actors,  en  route  for  the  latter  town, 
were  set  upon  by  the  noted  chief  Wild  Cat,  with  a  large 
body  of  Indians.  Four  were  killed,  and  the  "  property  " 
of  the  establishment  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  savages. 
Nothing  could  have  delighted  them  more  than  an  acquisi 
tion  so  congenial  to  their  tastes.  The  tawdry  red  velvet, 
spangles,  and  sashes,  which  every  where  obtain  as  the  ap 
propriate  costume  of  the  stage,  were  now  put  to  a  new  use, 
and  served  as  royal  appendages  to  the  dusky  forms  of  the 
Seminole  warriors.  Decked  in  this  finery,  they  made  their 
exultant  appearance  before  Fort  Searle,  challenging  the  lit 
tle  garrison  to  an  engagement. 

The  month  of  August  was  marked  by  scenes  of  terrible 
interest.  On  the  Suwanne,  eleven  families  were  driven 
from  their  homes,  and  many  of  their  members  murdered : 
the  settlement  on  Indian  Key  was  almost  totally  destroyed, 
six  persons  being  massacred.  Nothing  was  accomplished 
in  any  way  tending  to  bring  the  war  to  an  end,  or  to  miti 
gate  its  horrors,  until  autumn. 

It  was  resolved,  at  last,  to  try  fair  measures,  since  foul 
proved  of  so  little  avail,  and  a  number  of  the  principal 
Seminoles  who  had  experienced  the  realities  of  a  western 
life,  among  whom  were  old  Micanopy  and  Alligator,  were 
brought  back  to  Florida,  for  the  purpose  of  pointing  out 
to  their  brethren  the  advantages  of  their  new  homes,  and 
inducing  peaceable  compliance  with  the  intended  removal. 
A  meeting  was  obtained  at  Fort  King,  early  in  November, 
with  Tigertail  and  other  Seminole  chiefs  ;  but  after  a  few 
days  of  profitless  parley,  the  whole  of  the  hostile  party 


FLORIDA   INDIANS.  163 

disappeared,  and  with  them  all  prospect  of  an  amicable 
settlement  of  difficulties. 

The  Indians  continued  their  depredations,  murdering 
and  plundering  with  greater  boldness  than  ever.  In  De 
cember,  Colonel  Harney  attacked  the  enemy  in  quarters, 
which  they  had  till  then  occupied  in  undisturbed  securi 
ty,  viz.  :  the  islands  and  dry  spots  of  that  waste  of  "  grass- 
water,"  as  the  natives  term  it,  the  Everglades.  He  had 
obtained  a  negro  guide,  who  knew  of  the  haunts  of  the 
chief  Chaikika  and  his  people,  and,  taking  a  considerable 
company  in  boats,  he  proceeded  to  beat  up  his  quarters. 
The  party  came  upon  the  Indians  most  unexpectedly  : 
Chaikika  was  shot  by  a  private  after  he  had  thrown  clown 
his  arms,  and  his  men,  with  their  families,  were  surrounded 
and  taken  before  they  had  time  to  escape.  Nine  of  the 
men  were  hanged  !  on  the  ground  that  they  were  concerned 
in  the  Indian  Key  massacre ;  some  of  the  property  plun 
dered  on  that  occasion  being  found  in  the  camp. 

The  only  other  important  event  of  the  month  was  the 
surrender  of  a  son  and  a  brother  of  the  old  and  implaca 
ble  chieftain  Tigertail.  They  delivered  themselves  up  at 
Fort  King.  In  Middle  Florida,  travelling  continued  as 
unsafe  as  ever,  unless  in  well-armed  companies,  of  force 
sufficient  to  keep  the  lurking  savages  in  awe. 

We  have  now  chronicled  the  principal  events  of  this 
tedious,  harassing,  and  most  expensive  war.  Hostilities 
did  not,  indeed,  cease  at  the  period  under  our  present  con 
sideration,  but  a  knowledge  of  the  true  policy  to  be  pur 
sued  towards  these  ignorant  and  truly  unfortunate  savages 
began  to  be  generally  diffused,  and  more  conciliatory  meas 
ures  were  adopted. 

John  C.  Spencer,  Secretary  of  War,  in  November,  1842, 
reported  that,  during  the  current  year,  four  hundred  and 
fifty  Indians  had  been  sent  west  of  the  Mississippi  from 
Florida,  and  that  two  hundred  more  were  supposed  to  have 


164  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

'surrendered.  This  report  proceeds:  "  The  number  of 
troops  has  been  gradually  diminished,  leaving  an  adequate 
number  to  protect  the  inhabitants  from  the  miserable  rem 
nants  of  tribes,  still  remaining.  "We  have  advices  that 
arrangements  have  been  made  with  all  but  a  very  few  of 
those  Indians  for  their  removal  west  of  the  Mississippi,  or 
to  the  district  in  the  southern  part  of  the  peninsula  as 
signed  them  for  their  habitation  ;  and  it  is  believed  that,  by 
this  time,  all  the  bands  north  of  that  district,  have  agreed 
to  cease  hostilities  and  remove  there.  Two  or  three  instan 
ces  of  outrages  have  occurred  since  the  orders  were  issued 
for  the  termination  of  hostilities,  but  they  are  ascertained 
to  have  been  committed  by  bands  who  were  ignorant  of 
the  measures  adopted,  or  of  the  terms  offered." 

Some  difficulty  arose  from  the  extreme  dislike  which 
the  Seminoles,  who  were  moved  westward,  entertained  of 
being  located  upon  the  same  district  with  the  Creeks,  and 
a  deputation  from  their  body  of  a  number  of  warriors,  in 
cluding  Alligator  and  Wild  Cat,  repaired  to  the  seat  of 
government  for  redress.  Measures  were  taken  to  satisfy 
them. 

The  Indians  who  still  keep  possession  of  a  district  in 
Southern  Florida,  consisting  of  Seminoles,  Micasaukies, 
Creeks,  Uchees,  and  Choctaws,  are  variously  estimated  as 
numbering  from  three  hundred  and  fifty  to  five  hundred, 
including  women  and  children.  Seventy-six  were  shipped 
to  the  west  in  1850. 

As  a  tribe,  they  have  long  been  at  peace  with  their 
white  neighbors,  although  some  individuals  of  these  people 
have,  and  at  no  distant  date,  given  proof  that  the  spirit  of 
the  savage  is  not  yet  totally  extinct. 


THE  INDIANS  OF  VIRGINIA. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EXPEDITION  OF  AM1DAS  AND  BARLOW  — OF  SIR  RICHARD  GRENVILLE 
—  OF  BARTHOLOMEW  GOSNOLL,  WITH  CAPTAIN  SMITH.  —  SETTLE 
MENT  AT  JAMESTOWN.  —  VISIT  TO  POWHATAN.  —  IMPROVIDENCE 
AND  DIFFICULTIES  OF  THE  COLONISTS.  —  EXPLORATION  OF  THE 
CH1CKAHOMINY.  — SMITH  TAKEN  PRISONER.  —  HIS  TREATMENT  BY 
THE  INDIANS. 

"  He  lived,  the  impersonation  of  an  age 
That  never  shall  return.     His  soul  of  fire 
Was  kindled  by  the  breath  of  the  rude  times 
He  lived  in."  —  BRYANT. 

THE  most  complete  and  veracious  account  of  the  man 
ners,  appearance,  and  history  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants 
of  Virginia,  particularly  those  who  dwelt  in  the  eastern 
portion  of  that  district,  upon  the  rivers  and  the  shores  of 
Chesapeake  Bay,  is  contained  in  the  narrative  of  the  re 
doubted  Captain  John  Smith.  This  bold  and  energetic 
pioneer,  after  many  "  strange  adventures,  happed  by  land 
or  sea ; "  still  a  young  man,  though  a  veteran  in  military 
service ;  and  inured  to  danger  and  hardship,  in  battle  and 
captivity  among  the  Turks,  joined  his  fortunes  to  those  of 
Bartholomew  Gosnoll  and  his  party,  who  sailed  from 
England  on  the  19th  of  December,  1606,  (O.  S.)  to  form 
a  settlement  on  the  "Western  Continent. 

Former  attempts  to  establish  colonies  in  Virginia  had 
terminated  disastrously,  from  the  gross  incompetence,  ex- 

(165) 


166  INDIAN   RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

travagant  expectations,  improvidence,  and  villanous  con 
duct  of  those  engaged  in  them. 

In  1584,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  and  his  associates,  under 
a  patent  from  Queen  Elizabeth,  had  sent  out  two  small 
vessels,  commanded  by  Amidas  and  Barlow.  By  the  cir 
cuitous  route  then  usually  adopted,  the  exploring  party 
passed  the  West  Indies,  coasted  along  the  fragrant  shores 
of  Florida,  and  entered  Ocrakoke  Inlet  in  the  month  of 
July,%nraptured  with  the  rich  and  fruitful  appearance  of 
the  country.  Grapes  grew  to  the  very  borders  of  the  sea, 
overspreading  the  bushes  and  climbing  to  the  tops  of  trees 
in  luxurious  abundance. 

Their  intercourse  with  the  natives  was  friendly  and 
peaceful ;  as  they  reported,  "  a  more  kind,  loving  people 
could  not  be."  They  carried  on  trade  and  barter  with 
Granganimeo,  brother  to  Winginia,  king  of  the  country, 
and  were  royally  entertained  by  his  wife  at  the  island  of 
Roanoke. 

Wingandacoa  was  the  Indian  name  of  the  country,  and, 
on  the  return  of  the  expedition,  in  the  ensuing  September, 
it  was  called  Virginia,  in  honor  of  the  queen. 

Sir  Richard  Grenville,  an  associate  of  Raleigh,  visited 
Virginia  the  next  year,  (1585,)  and  left  over  one  hundred 
men  to  form  a  settlement  at  Roanoke.  Being  disappointed 
in  their  anticipations  of  profit,  or  unwilling  to  endure  the 
privations  attendant  upon  the  settlement  of  a  habitation 
in  the  wilderness,  all  returned  within  a  year.  A  most  un 
justifiable  outrage  was  committed  by  the  English  of  this 
party,  on  one  of  their  exploring  expeditions.  In  the  words 
of  the  old  narrative,  "  At  Aquascogoc  the  Indians  stole  a 
silver  cup,  wherefore  we  burnt  the  town  and  spoiled  their 
corn  ;  so  returned  to  our  fleet  at  Tocokon."  This  act  is  but 
a  fair  specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  redress  has  been 
sought  for  injuries  sustained  at  the  hands  of  the  natives, 
not  only  in  early  times,  but  too  often  at  the  present  day. 


CAPTA1X    JOHJ*    SMITH. 


INDIANS   OP   VIRGINIA.  169 

It  is  not  surprising  that  thereafter  the  Indians  should 
have  assumed  a  hostile  attitude.  Granganimeo  was  dead, 
and  Winginia,  who  had  now  taken  the  name  of  Pemissa- 
pan,  formed  a  plan  to  cut  off  these  disorderly  invaders  of 
his  dominions.  This  resulted  only  in  some  desultory 
skirmishing  ;  and,  a  few  days  afterwards,  the  fleet  of  Sir 
Francis  Drake  appearing  in  the  offing,  the  whole  colony 
concluded  to  return  to  England. 

Mr.  Thomas  Heriot,  whose  journal  of  this  voyage  and 
settlement  is  preserved,  gives  a  brief  account  of  the  super 
stitions,  customs,  and  manner  of  living  which  he  observed 
among  the  savages.  In  enumerating  the  animals  which 
were  used  for  food  by  the  Indians,  he  mentions  that  st  the 
savages  sometimes  killed  a  lion  and  ate  him."  He  con 
cludes  his  narrative  by  very  justly  remarking,  that  some 
of  the  company  "  showed  themselves  too  furious  in  slaying 
some  of  the  people  in  some  towns  upon  causes  that  on  our 
part  might  have  been  borne  with  more  mildness." 

Grenville,  in  the  following  year,  knowing  nothing  of 
the  desertion  of  the  settlement,  took  three  ships  over  to 
America,  well  furnished  for  the  support  and  relief  of  those 
whom  he  had  left  on  the  preceding  voyage.  Finding  the 
place  abandoned,  he  left  fifty  settlers  to  reoccupy  it,  and 
returned  home.  On  the  next  arrival  from  England  the 
village  was  again  found  deserted,  the  fort  dismantled,  and 
the  plantations  overgrown  with  weeds.  The  bones  of  one 
man  were  seen,  but  no  other  trace  appeared  to  tell  the  fate 
of  the  colony.  It  afterwards  appeared,  from  the  narrations 
of  the  savages,  that  three  hundred  men  from  Aquascogoc 
and  other  Indian  towns  had  made  a  descent  upon  the 
whites,  and  massacred  the  whole  number. 

The  experiment  of  colonization  was  again  tried,  and 
again  failed :  of  over  one  hundred  persons,  including  some 
females,  who  landed,  none  were  to  be  found  by  those  who 
went  in  search  of  them  in  1589,  nor  was  their  fate  ever 


170  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

ascertained.  It  is  recorded  that,  before  the  departure  of 
the  ships  that  brought  over  this  colony,  on  the  18th  of 
August  (O.  S.),  the  governor's  daughter,  Ellinor  Dare,  gave 
birth  to  an  infant,  which  was  named  Virginia,  and  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  the  country. 

We  now  return  to  Gosnoll  and  his  companions,  num 
bering  a  little  over  one  hundred,  who,  as  we  before  men 
tioned,  visited  the  country  in  1606.  They  sailed  from 
England  with  sealed  orders,  which  were  not  to  be  opened 
until  their  arrival  in  America.  Landing  on  Cape  Henry, 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Chesapeake,  the  hostile  feelings  of 
the  Indians  were  soon  made  manifest ;  "  thirty  of  the 
company  recreating  themselves  on  shore  were  assaulted 
by  five  savages,  who  hurt  two  of  the  English  very  dan 
gerously."  The  box  containing  the  orders  from  the  author 
ities  in  England  being  opened,  Smith  was  found  to  be  one 
of  the  number  appointed  as  a  council  to  govern  the  colony  ; 
but  he  was,  at  that  time,  in  close  custody,  in  consequence 
of  sundry  absurd  and  jealous  suspicions  which  had  been 
excited  against  him  on  the  voyage,  and  he  was  therefore 
refused  all  share  in  the  direction  of  the  public  affairs. 
Before  the  return  of  the  ships,  however,  which  took  place 
in  June,  the  weak  and  ill-assorted  colony  were  glad  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  services  and  counsel  of  the  bold 
and  persevering  captain.  His  enemies  were  disgraced, 
and  his  authority  was  formally  acknowledged.  Meantime, 
the  settlement  was  commenced  at  Jamestown,  forty  miles 
up  the  Powhatan,  now  James  River.  The  Indians  appeared 
friendly,  and  all  hands  fell  to  work  at  the  innumerable 
occupations  which  their  situation  required.  A  few  ruins, 
and  the  picturesque  remains  of  the  old  brick  church-tower 
still  standing,  utterly  deserted  amid  the  growth  of  shrubs 
and  willows,  are  all  that  remains  of  the  intended  city. 

Newport  and  Smith,  with  a  company  of  twenty  men, 
were  sent  to  explore  the  upper  portion  of  the  river,  and 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA. 


171 


made  their  way  to  the  town  of  Powhatan,  situated  upon 
a  bluff  just  below  the  falls,  and  at  the  head  of  navigation  — 
the  same  spot  afterwards  chosen  for  the  site  of  the  capital 
of  the  state.  The  natives  were  peaceable  and  kind  to  the 
adventurers,  receiving  them  with  every  demonstration  of 
interest  and  pleasure,  and  rejoiced  at  the  opportunity  for 
traffic  in  beads  and  ornaments.  As  they  approached 
Jamestown,  on  their  return,  they  perceived  some  hostile 
demonstrations ;  and  arriving  there,  found  that  seventeen 
men  had  been  wounded,  and  that  one  boy  had  been  killed 
by  the  Indians  during  their  absence. 

Wingfield,  the  president  of  the  colony,  had  injudiciously 
neglected  to  make  any  secure  fortifications,  and  the  people, 
leaving  their  arms  stored  apart,  set  to  work  without  a 
guard ;  thus  giving  to  the  lurking  foe  convenient  oppor 
tunity  for  an  assault. 

After  Captain  Newport  had  sailed  for  England,  the 
colonists,  left  to  their  own  resources,  were  reduced  to  great 
straits  and  privation.  Most  of  them  were  men  utterly 
unfitted  for  the  situation  they  had  chosen,  and  unable  to 
endure  labor  and  hardship.  Feeding  upon  damaged  wheat, 
with  such  fish  and  crabs  as  they  could  catch ;  worn  out  by 
unaccustomed  toil ;  unused  to  the  climate,  and  ignorant  of 
its  diseases  ;  it  is  matter  of  little  wonder  that  fifty  of  the 
company  died  before  the  month  of  October. 

Smith,  to  whom  all  now  looked  for  advice,  and  who 
was  virtually  at  the  head  of  affairs,  undertook  an  expe 
dition  down  the  river  for  purposes  of  trade.  Finding 
that  the  natives  "  scorned  him  as  a  famished  man,"  deri 
sively  offering  a  morsel  of  food  as  the  price  of  his  arms, 
he  adopted  a  very  common  expedient  of  the  time,  using 
force  where  courtesy  availed  not.  After  a  harmless  dis 
charge  of  muskets,  he  landed  and  marched  up  to  a  village 
where  much  corn  was  stored.  He  would  not  allow  his 
men  to  plunder,  but  awaited  the  expected  attack  of  the 


172  INDIAN   RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

natives.  A  party  of  sixty  or  seventy  presently  appeared, 
"  with  a  most  hideous  noise  —  some  black,  some  red,  some 
white,  some  parti-colored,  they  came  in  a  square  order, 
singing  and  dancing  out  of  the  woods,  with  their  Okee 
(which  was  an  idol  made  of  skins  stuffed  with  moss,  all 
painted  and  hung  with  chains  and  copper,)  borne  before 
them."  A  discharge  of  pistol  shot  from  the  guns  scattered 
them,  and  they  fled,  leaving  their  Okee.  Being  now  ready 
to  treat,  their  image  was  restored,  and  beads,  copper,  and 
hatchets  were  given  by  Smith  to  their  full  satisfaction,  in 
return  for  provisions. 

The  improvident  colonists,  by  waste  and  inactivity, 
counteracted  the  efforts  of  Smith:  and  Wingfield,  the 
former  president,  with  a  number  of  others,  formed  a  plan 
to  seize  the  pinnace  and  return  to  England.  This  con 
spiracy  was  not  checked  without  some  violence  and  blood 
shed.  As  the  weather  grew  colder  with  the  change  of 
season,  game  became  fat  and  plenty,  and  the  Indians  on 
Chickahamania  River  were  found  eager  to  trade  their  corn 
for  English  articles  of  use  or  ornament ;  so  that  affairs 
began  to  look  more  prosperous. 

During  the  ensuing  winter,  Smith,  with  a  barge  and 
boat's  crew,  undertook  an  exploration  of  the  sources  of 
the  Chickahamania,  (Chickahominy,)  which  empties  into 
James  River,  a  few  miles  above  Jamestown.  After  making 
his  way  for  about  fifty  miles  up  the  stream,  his  progress 
was  so  impeded  by  fallen  trees  and  the  narrowness  of  the 
channel,  that  he  left  the  boat  and  crew  in  a  sort  of  bay, 
and  proceeded  in  a  canoe,  accompanied  only  by  two  Eng 
lishmen,  and  two  Indian  guides.  The  men  left  in  charge 
of  the  boat,  disregarding  his  orders  to  stay  on  board  till 
his  return,  were  set  upon  by  a  great  body  of  the  natives, 
and  one  of  their  number,  George  Cassen,  was  taken  pris 
oner.  Having  compelled  their  captive  to  disclose  the 
intentions  and  position  of  the  captain,  these  savages  pro- 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  173 

ceeded  to  put  him  to  death  in  a  most  barbarous  manner, 
severing  his  limbs  at  the  joints  with  shells,  and  burning 
them  before  his  face.  As  they  dared  not  attack  the  armed 
company  in  the  boat,  all  hands  then  set  out  in  hot  pursuit 
of  Smith,  led  by  Opechancanough,  king  of  Pamaunkee. 

Coming  upon  the  little  party  among  the  marshes,  far  up 
the  river,  they  shot  the  two  Englishmen  as  they  were 
sleeping  by  the  canoe ;  and,  to  the  number  of  over  two 
hundred,  surrounded  the  gallant  captain,  who,  accompa-* 
nied  by  one  of  his  guides,  was  out  with  his  gun  in  search 
of  game.  Binding  the  Indian  fast  to  his  arm,  with  a  gar 
ter,  as  a  protection  from  the  shafts  of  the  enemy,  Smith 
made  such  good  use  of  his  gun  that  he  killed  three  of  his 
assailants  and  wounded  several  others.  The  whole  body 
stood  at  some  distance,  stricken  with  terror  at  the  unwonted 
execution  of  his  weapon,  while  he  slowly  retired  towards 
the  canoe.  Unfortunately,  attempting  to  cross  a  creek 
with  a  miry  bottom,  he  stuck  fast,  together  with  his  guide, 
and,  becoming  benumbed  with  cold,  for  the  season  was 
unusually  severe,  he  threw  away  his  arms,  and  surren- 
%dered  himself  prisoner. 

Delighted  with  their  acquisition,  the  savages  took  him 
to  the  fire,  and  restored  animation  to  his  limbs  by  warmth 
and  friction.  He  immediately  set  himself  to  conciliate  the 
king,  and  presenting  him  with  an  ivory  pocket  compass, 
proceeded  to  explain  its  use,  together  with  many  other 
scientific  matters  greatly  beyond  the  comprehension  of  the 
wild  creatures  who  gathered  around  him  in  eager  and 
astonished  admiration.  Perhaps  with  a  view  of  trying  his 
courage,  they  presently  bound  him  to  a  tree,  and  all  made 
ready  to  let  fly  their  arrows  at  him,  but  were  stayed  by  a 
sign  from  the  chief.  They  then  carried  him  to  Orapaks, 
where  he  was  well  fed,  and  treated  with  kindness. 

When  they  reached  the  town,  a  strange  savage  dance 
was  performed  around  Opechancanough  and  his  captive, 


174  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

by  the  whole  body  of  warriors,  armed  and  painted ;  while 
the  women  and  children  looked  on  with  wonder  and  curi 
osity.  The  gaudy  color  of  the  oil  and  pocones  with  which 
their  bodies  were  covered,  "  made  an  exceeding  handsome 
show,"  and  each  had  "  his  bow  in  his  hand,  and  the  skin 
of  a  bird  with  her  wings  abroad,  dried,  tied  on  his  head, 
a  piece  of  copper,  a  white  shell,  a  long  feather,  with  a 
small  rattle  growing  at  the  tails  of  their  snakes  tied  to  it, 
or  some  such  like  toy." 

Although  the  Indians  would  not,  as  yet,  eat  with  their 
prisoner,  he  was  so  feasted  that  a  suspicion  arose  in  his 
mind  that  they  "  would  fat  him  to  eat  him.  Yet,  in  this 
desperate  estate,  to  defend  him  from  the  cold,  one  Mocas- 
sater  brought  him  his  gown,  in  requital  of  some  beads 
and  toys  Smith  had  given  him  at  his  first  arrival  in  Vir 
ginia."  One  of  the  old  warriors,  whose  son  had  been 
wounded  at  the  time  of  the  capture,  was  with  difficulty 
restrained  from  killing  him.  The  young  Indian  was  at 
his  last  gasp,  but  Smith,  wishing  to  send  information  to 
Jamestown,  said  that  he  had  there  a  medicine  of  potent 
effect.  The  messengers  sent  on  this  errand  made  their  way 
to  Jamestown,  "  in  as  bitter  weather  as  could  be  of  frost 
and  snow,"  carrying  a  note  from  Smith,  written  upon  "  part 
of  a  table  book."  They  returned,  bringing  with  them 
the  articles  requested  in  the  letter,  "  to  the  wonder  of  all 
that  heard  it,  that  he  could  either  divine,  or  the  paper  could 
speak." 

A  plan  was  at  that  time  on  foot  to  make  an  attack  upon 
the  colony,  and  such  rewards  as  were  in  their  power  to  be 
stow  —  "  life,  liberty,  land,  and  women  "  —  were  proffered 
to  Smith  by  the  Indians,  if  he  would  lend  his  assistance. 

They  now  made  a  triumphal  progress  with  their  illus 
trious  captive,  among  the  tribes  on  the  Rappahanock  and 
Potomac  Rivers,  and  elsewhere ;  exhibiting  him  to  the 
Youthtanunds,  the  Mattapamients,  the  Payankatanks,  the 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  175 

Nantaughtacunds,  and  Onawmanients.  Returning  to  Pa- 
maunkee,  a  solemn  incantation  was  performed,  with  a  view 
to  ascertain  his  real  feelings  towards  them. 

Having  seated  him  upon  a  mat  before  a  fire,  in  one  of 
the  larger  cabins,  all  retired,  "  and  presently  came  skip 
ping  in  a  great  grim  fellow,  all  painted  over  with  coal 
mingled  with  oil ;  and  many  snakes  and  weasels  skins 
stuffed  with  moss,  and  all  their  tails  tied  together,  so  as 
they  met  on  the  crown  of  his  head  in  a  tassel ;  and  round 
about  the  tassel  was  a  coronet  of  feathers,  the  skins  hang 
ing  round  about  his  head,  back,  and  shoulders,  and  in  a 
manner  covered  his  face ;  with  a  hellish  voice  and  a  rattle 
in  his  hand."  He  sprinkled  a  circle  of  meal  about  the 
fire,  and  commenced  his  conjuration.  Six  more  "  such  like 
devils,"  then  entered,  fantastically  bedaubed  with  red 
"  Mutchatos  '•*  (Mustaches)  marked  upon  their  faces,  and 
having  danced  about  him  for  a  time,  sat  down  and  sang  a 
wild  song  to  the  accompaniment  of  their  rattles. 

The  chief  conjurer  next  laid  down  five  kernels  of  corn, 
and  proceeded  to  make  an  extravagant  oration  with  such 
violence  of  gesture  that  his  veins  swelled  and  the  perspira 
tion  started  from  his  body.  "  At  the  conclusion  they  all 
gave  a  short  groan,  and  then  laid  down  three  grains  more." 
The  operation  was  continued  "  till  they  had  twice  encircled 
the  fire,"  and  was  then  varied  by  using  sticks  instead  of 
corn.  All  these  performances  had  some  mystic  significa 
tion,  which  was  in  part  explained  to  the  captain. 

Three  days  were  spent  in  these  wearisome  barbarities, 
each  day  being  passed  in  fasting,  and  the  nights  being  as 
regularly  ushered  in  with  feasts.  Smith  was,  after  this, 
entertained  with  the  best  of  cheer  at  the  house  of  Opitcha- 
pam,  brother  to  the  king.  He  still  observed  that  not  one 
of  the  men  would  eat  with  him,  but  the  remains  of  the 
feast  were  given  him  to  be  distributed  among  the  women 
and  children. 


176  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

He  was  here  shown  a  bag  of  gunpowder,  carefully  pre 
served  as  seed  against  the  next  planting  season. 


CHAPTER  II. 

COURT  OF  POWHATAN.  — SMITH'S  PRESERVATION  BY  POCAHONTAS.  ^ 
SUPPLIES  FURNISHED  BY  THE  INDIANS.  —  NEWPORT'S  ARRIVAL.— 
SMITH'S  EXPEDITIONS  UP  THE  CHESAPEAKE. 

THE  great  monarch  of  the  country,  Powhatan,  at  this 
period,  was  holding  his  court  at  Werowocomoco,  on  the 
left  bank  of  York  river,  and  thither  Smith  was  conveyed 
to  await  the  royal  pleasure.  The  reception  of  so  impor 
tant  a  captive  was  conducted  with  suitable  solemnity  and 
parade.  Powhatan  sat  upon  a  raised  seat  before  a  fire,  in 
a  large  house,  clothed  with  a  robe  of  raccoon  skins,  the 
tails  hanging  in  ornamental  array.  He  was  an  old  man, 
about  sixty  years  of  age,  of  noble  figure,  and  that  com 
manding  presence  natural  in  one  born  to  rule  with  undis 
puted  authority  over  all  around  him.  A  young  girl  sat 
on  each  side  of  the  king,  and  marshalled  around  the  room 
were  rows  of  warriors  and  women,  bedecked  with  beads, 
feathers,  and  paint. 

Smith's  entrance  was  hailed  by  a  shout ;  the  queen  of 
Appainatuck  brought  him  water  to  wash,  and  he  was  mag 
nificently  entertained,  as  a  distinguished  guest  of  the  king. 
'The  strange  scene  which  ensued,  so  replete  with  pathos 
and  poetic  interest,  must  be  given  in  the  simple  language 
of  the  old  historian. 

Having  ended  his  repast,  "  a  long  consultation  was  held, 
but  the  conclusion  was,  two  great  stones  were  brought 
before  Powhatan:  then  as  many  as  could,  laid  hands  on 
him,  dragged  him  to  them,  and  thereon  laid  his  head,  and, 


IJTTKRroSIJVG     F  0  It     CAPTAUf    SMITH. 


INDIANS    OF   VIRGINIA.  179 

being  ready  with  their  clubs  to  beat  out  his  brains,  Poca- 
hontas,  the  king's  dearest  daughter,  when  no  entreaty  could 
prevail,  got  his  head  in  her  arms,  and  laid  her  own  upon 
his  to  save  him  from  death  :  whereat  the  emperor  was 
contented  he  should  live  to  make  him  hatchets,  and  her 
bells,  beads,  and  copper ;  for  they  thought  him  as  well  of 
all  occupations  as  themselves." 

The  worthy  captain's  own  rhymes  describe  his  appear 
ance  and  state  of  mind  at  this  crisis: 

"  They  say  he  bore  a  pleasant  show,  but  sure  his  heart  was  sad ; 
For  who  can  pleasant  be  and  rest,  that  lives  in  fear  and  dread  ?  " 

Entertaining  his  captive  as  a  privileged  guest,  Powhatan 
now  held  long  consultations  with  him,  -giving  wonderful 
accounts  of  the  vast  western  country  and  its  inhabitants. 
Smith  responded  with  details,  equally  amazing  to  the  sav 
age  monarch,  of  the  power  and  magnificence  of  the  East. 
After  two  clays  of  friendly  intercourse,  Smith  was  informed 
that  he  should  return  in  safety  to  Jamestown ;  but  as  a 
prelude  to  the  conveyance  of  this  satisfactory  intelligence, 
Powhatan  was  at  much  pains  to  get  up  a  theatrical  scene 
that  should  impress  or  terrify  his  prisoner.  Left  alone  in 
a  large  cabin,  Smith's  ears  were  saluted  by  strange  and 
frightful  noises  from  behind  a  mat  partition,  and,  inconti 
nently,  Powhatan,  with  some  hundreds  of  attendants,  all 
like  himself,  in  hideous  disguises,  made  his  appearance. 
He  appointed  twelve  Indians  to  guide  him  to  the  settle 
ment,  requesting  that  a  grindstone  and  two  great  guns 
should  be  sent  back,  by  them,  in  return  for  liberty  and 
favors  received  at  his  hands. 

Captain  Smith,  well  knowing  the  capricious  disposition 
of  his  captors,  felt  little  security  or  ease,  until  he  was  safely 
restored  to  his  companions  at  Jamestown. 

His  absence  had  been  severely  felt :  confusion  and  dis 
sension  were  rife  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony,  and 
11 


180  INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

the  strong  arm  and  determined  will  of  the  bold  captain 
were  required  to  keep  order,  and  restrain  those  who  were 
again  inclined  to  effect  an  escape  in  the  pinnace. 

The  two  guns  (demi-culverins),  together  with  a  mill 
stone,  were  brought  out,  and  proffered  to  the  guides;  but, 
seeing  the  terrible  effect  of  a  discharge  of  stones  among 
the  branches  of  an  ice-covered  tree,  the  poor  savages  were 
greatly  terrified,  and  thankfully  accepted  divers  toys  in 
place  of  so  weighty  and  dangerous  a  present. 

So  reduced  were  the  settlers  at  this  time,  that  all  must 
have  perished  with  starvation  but  for  the  intercourse  estab 
lished  by  Smith  between  them  and  the  people  of  Powhatan. 
Every  four  or  five  days,  his  noble  and  generous  little  pro 
tectress,  Pocahontas  —  she  was  then  only  about  ten  years 
of  age  —  would  make  her  appearance,  accompanied  by 
attendants  laden  with  provisions.  Part  of  these  supplies 
came  as  presents  from  the  king  or  his  daughter ;  for  the 
rest,  the  price  paid  in  toys  and  articles  of  use  was  left 
entirely  at  Smith's  discretion,  "  so  had  he  enchanted  these 
poor  souls,  being  their  prisoner." 

Captains  Newport  and  Nelson  now  arrived  from  Eng 
land,  with  two  ships,  laden  with  necessaries  and  articles 
of  traffic.  Rejoiced  at  the  arrival  of  friends  and  provis 
ions,  the  colonists  allowed  the  sailorg  to  hold  what  inter 
course  they  pleased  with  the  natives,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  the  market  was  soon  spoiled  by  the  irregularity 
of  prices  offered  by  the  English  for  the  Indian  commodi 
ties.  Smith  had  possessed  Powhatan  and  his  people  with 
extravagant  ideas  of  the  power  and  majesty  of  Newport, 
whose  speedy  arrival  he  predicted,  and  preparations  were 
now  made  to  give  a  still  more  forcible  impression.  Mes 
sengers  were  sent  to  inform  the  Indian  monarch  that  the 
great  captain  of  the  seas  had  reached  Jamestown,  and 
would  make  a  visit  of  state  to  his  royal  friend  and  ally. 
The  pinnace  was  made  ready  for  this  purpose,  and  "  a  great 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  181 

coyle  there  was  to  set  him  forward."  When  they  had 
arrived  at  Werowocomoco,  Newport  was  wary  and  cau 
tious,  fearing  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  savages,  and 
Smith  therefore  volunteered  to  go  forward,  with  a  small 
company,  and  see  that  the  coast  was  clear.  Over  the 
creeks  which  meandered  through  the  marshy  country, 
bridges  were  found,  but  of  so  frail  a  structure,  being  com 
posed  of  poles  bound  with  bark,  that  some  suspicions 
were  entertained  that  they  might  be  intended  as  traps. 
Smith  therefore  kept  some  of  the  chief  Indians,  who  acted 
as  guides,  in  the  midst  of  his  company,  for  security  against 
attack. 

All  their  suspicion  proved  groundless  :  Powhatan  re 
ceived  the  officers  with  the  greatest  distinction,  entertained 
them  hospitably,  and  celebrated  their  coming  with  feasts 
and  dances.  The  great  king  "  carried  himself  so  proudly 
yet  discreetly  (in  his  savage  manner)  as  made  all  admire 
his  natural  gifts."  He  declined  any  petty  traffic,  but 
requested  Newport  to  bring  forward  at  once  all  the  goods 
that  he  had  brought  for  trade,  expressing  his  willingness 
to  give  full  return.  His  desire  was  complied  with,  New 
port  wishing  to  outdo  the  king  in  generosity  and  show  of 
munificence ;  but  the  result  hardly  equalled  his  expecta 
tion,  for  the  cunning  savage,  says  the  narrator,  "  valued 
his  corn  at  such  a  rate  that  I  think  it  better  cheap  in 
Spain."  A  few  blue  beads  in  the  possession  of  Smith 
now  caught  the  eye  of  Powhatan,  and  aroused  his  curiosity 
and  avarice.  The  wary  captain  pretended  to  be  loath  to 
part  with  them,  as  being  of  a  "  most  rare  substance  of  the 
color  of  the  skies,  and  not  to  be  worn  but  by  the  greatest 
kings  in  the  world.  This  made  him  half  mad  to  be  the 
owner  of  such  strange  jewels,"  and,  to  obtain  them,  he 
readily  paid  an  immense  quantity  of  corn,  esteeming  him 
self  still  the  gainer.  The  trade  in  blue  beads,  after  this, 
became  a  royal  monopoly. 


182  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

The  party  returned  to  Jamestown ;  but  only  to  experi 
ence  greater  privation  and  hardship  than  ever. 

The  town  took  fire,  and  much  of  their  provisions,  cloth 
ing,  and  other  means  of  comfort  was  destroyed.  The  win 
ter  was  bitterly  cold,  and  nearly  the  whole  colony,  together 
with  the  crews  of  the  ships,  were  possessed  with  an  insane 
desire  to  search  for  gold,  to  the  neglect  of  the  labors  neces 
sary  to  secure  health  and  prosperity.  From  these  causes 
more  than  half  their  number  perished. 

The  Indians,  seeing  their  weakness,  became  insolent  and 
exacting,  and,  but  for  Smith,  whose  prompt  and  energetic 
action,  without  actual ,  bloodshed,  subdued  and  brought 
them  to  terms,  they  might  have  completely  overawed, 
and  perhaps  have  extirpated  the  colony.  Those  whom 
the  English  took  prisoners  insisted  that  the  hostilities 
were  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  Powhatan  :  but 
he,  on  the  other  hand,  averred  that  it  was  the  work  of 
some  of  his  unruly  subordinates.  The  conciliatory  mes 
sage  was  brought  by  "  his  dearest  daughter  Pocahontas," 
whose  appearance  ever  had  the  most  potent  influence  with 
the  brave  man  for  whom  she  felt  such  filial  attachment, 
and  who  was  hound  to  her  by  every  tie  of  gratitude  and 
affection. 

Upon  the  £d  of  June,  1608,  Captain  Smith,  with  four 
teen  companions  —  one  half  "  gentlemen,"  the  rest  ft  sol 
diers  "  —  undertook  his  celebrated  exploration  of  Chesa 
peake  Bay.  Their  conveyance  was  a  large  open  barge. 

They  first  shaped  their  course  for  the  isles  lying  off 
Cape  Charles,  still  known  as  Smith's  Isles,  and  thence 
reentered  the  bay.  Passing  Cape  Charles,  they  saw  "  two 
grim  and  stout  savages,"  armed  with  bone-headed  lances, 
who  fearlessly  questioned  them  as  to  whence  they  came 
and  whither  they  were  bound.  They  were  subjects  of 
the  Werowance  of  Accomack,  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  bay ;  and,  being  kindly  entreated,  responded  with 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  183 

equal  civility,  and  directed  the  English  to  their  king's 
head-quarters. 

They  found  the  chief  to  be  the  "  comeliest,  proper,  civil 
savage  "  that  they  had  ever  held  communion  with.  He  gave 
a  most  singular  account  of  a  pestilence  which  had  not  long 
before  carried  off  the  greater  portion  of  his  people.  Two 
children  had  died,  probably  of  some  infectious  disease,  and 
"  some  extreme  passions,  or  dreaming  visions,  phantasies, 
or  affection  moved  their  parents  again  to  revisit  their  dead 
carcasses,  whose  benumbed  bodies  reflected  to  the  eyes  of 
the  beholders  such  delightful  countenances  as  though  they 
had  regained  their  vital  spirits."  Great  crowds  gathered 
to  see  this  spectacle,  nearly  all  of  whom,  shortly  after,  died 
of  some  unknown  disease. 

These  Indians  spoke  the  Powhatan  dialect,  and  enter 
tained  Smith  with  glowing  descriptions  of  the  beauties  and 
advantages  of  the  bay,  to  the  northward.  Proceeding  on 
their  voyage,  the  navigators  entered  the  river  of  Wighco- 
comoco,  on  the  eastern  shore,  where  the  inhabitants  ex 
hibited  great  rage  and  hostility,  but  perceiving  that  no  harm 
was  intended  them,  with  true  savage  caprice,  fell  to  dancing 
and  singing,  in  wonder  and  merriment  at  the  novel  spec 
tacle.  No  good  water  was  to  be  obtained  here,  and  Smith 
with  his  crew  made  short  tarrying.  Still  coasting  along 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  bay,  they  reached  the  Cuskarawaok, 
where  great  troops  of  savages  followed  them  along  the  bank, 
climbing  into  the  trees,  and  discharging  their  arrows  with 
"  the  greatest  passion  they  could  express  of  their  anger." 
As  the  party  could  not  by  signs  give  them  to  understand 
that  they  came  peacefully,  a  discharge  of  pistol-shot  was 
directed,  which  produced  the  usual  effect,  scattering  the 
Indians  in  every  direction.  On  landing,  not  a  native 
could  be  found :  the  English  therefore  left  a  few  beads, 
bells,  looking-glasses,  and  bits  of  copper  in  the  huts,  and  re 
turned  on  board  their  barge. 


184  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Next  morning  the  poor  simple  savages,  dismissing  all 
fear,  gathered  round  them  to  the  number,  as  appeared,  of 
two  or  three  thousand,  eager  to  offer  whatever  was  in  their 
power  to  bestow  for  "  a  little  bead  "  or  other  trivial  toy. 
These  people  were  the  Sarapinagh,  Nause,  Arseek,  and 
Mantaquak,  and  they  showed  such  readiness  to  trade,  that 
Smith  pronounced  them  the  "  best  merchants  of  all  other 
savages."  They  gave  wonderful  accounts  of  the  powerful 
and  warlike  Massawomekes,  who  lived  to  the  northward, 
and  were  identical  with  the  Iroquois  or  Six  Nations. 

Some  of  the  crew  falling  sick,  and  the  rest  becoming 
weary  and  discontented  with  their  unaccustomed  fatigue 
and  exposure,  Smith,  much  against  his  inclination,  turned 
towards  home,  "  leaving  the  bay  some  nine  miles  broad,  at 
nine  and  ten  fathom  water."  Entering  the  Potomac,  on 
the  16th  of  June,  it  was  determined  to  explore  it,  as  the 
sick  men  had  recovered.  No  Indians  were  seen  until  the 
company  had  passed  thirty  miles  up  the  river ;  but,  ar 
riving  at  a  creek  in  the  neighborhood  of  Onawmanient, 
"  the  woods  were  laid  with  ambuscades,  to  the  number  of 
three  or  four  thousand  savages,  so  strangely  painted,  grimed, 
and  disguised,  shouting,  yelling,  and  crying  as  so  many 
spirits  from  hell  could  not  have  showed  more  terrible. 
Many  bravados  they  made,"  but  a  discharge  of  bullets,  over 
the  surface  of  the  water,  quickly  changed  their  mood. 
Arms  were  flung  down,  hostages  given,  and  courtesy  and 
kindness  succeeded  the  truculent  demeanor  which  was  first 
exhibited.  By  the  account  of  the  Indians,  Powhatan  had 
directed  this  intended  attack  ;  and,  if  their  representation 
was  true,  he  was  stimulated  to  such  a  course  by  sundry  of 
Smith's  enemies  at  Jamestown. 

The  boat's  crew  made  their  way  as  far  up  as  the  river 
was  navigable,  encountering  various  other  tribes,  some  of 
whom  were  friendly,  and  others  hostile.  The  thunder  of 
the  English  weapons  never  failed  to  awe  and  subdue  them. 


INDIANS  OF  VIRGINIA.  185 

Ever  hankering  after  the  precious  metals,  the  adventurers 
were  attracted  by  glittering  particles  in  the  bed  of  various 
streams  ;  and,  making  it  a  constant  object  of  inquiry,  they 
were*  led  by  some  Indians,  subject  to  the  king  of  Pataw- 
omeke,  to  a  noted  mine,  on  the  little  stream  of  Quiough. 
It  was  on  a  rocky  mount,  and  the  material  sought,  when 
dug  out  with  shells  and  hatchets,  sparkled  like  antimony. 
The  Indians  were  accustomed  to  wash  and  cleanse  it,  and 
then,  putting  it  in  small  bags,  "  sell  it  all  over  the  country, 
to  paint  their  bodies,  faces  or  idols  ;  which  made  them  look 
like  blackamoors  dusted  over  with  silver."  Newport  as 
serted  that  the  contents  of  some  of  those  bags,  when  assayed 
in  England,  proved  to  be  exceedingly  rich  in  silver  ;  but 
all  that  Smith  and  his  men  collected  was  worthless. 

On  the  way  towards  Jamestown,  as  the  barge  lay  in 
shoal  water,  the  crew  amused  themselves  by  spearing  fish, 
which  were  exceedingly  plenty.  Captain  Smith,  using  his 
sword  for  this  purpose,  drew  up  a  fish,  ("  not  knowing  her 
condition,)  being  much  of  the  fashion  of  a  thornback, 
but  a  long  tail  like  a  riding  rod,  whereon  the  middle 
is  a  most  poisoned  sting,  of  two  or  three  inches  long, 
bearded  like  a  saw  on  each  side,  which  she  struck  into  the 
wrist  of  his  arm  near  an  inch  and  a  half."  The  swelling 
and  pain  consequent  upon  this,  were  so  great  that  the 
brave  captain,  despairing  of  recovery,  ordered  his  own 
grave  to  be  dug ;  which  was  accordingly  done  on  a  neigh 
boring  island.  His  time,  however,  had  not  yet  come :  the 
physician  of  the  party  succeeded  in  relieving  him,  inso 
much  that,  that  very  night,  "  he  ate  of  the  fish  to  his 
supper." 

As  they  returned  to  their  old  quarters,  the  Indians 
judged  from  their  appearance  that  they  had  been  engaged 
in  notable  wars  ;  an  idea  which  they  failed  not  to  encour 
age,  averring  that  all  the  spoil  brought  home  was  taken 
from  the  redoubtable  Massawomekes. 


186  INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

At  Jamestown  all  was  found  in  disorder  and  misery,  as 
was  generally  the  case  when  the  master-spirit  was  absent. 
Thus  ended  the  first  exploration  of  the  unknown  waters 
of  the  Chesapeake,  leaving  the  English  still  in  doubt  as  to 
its  extent,  and  still  hopeful  of  eventually  finding  a  passage 
thereby  to  the  South  Seas ! 

On  the  24th  of  July,  a  second  expedition  was  undertaken 
up  the  bay,  by  Smith,  with  a  boat's  crew  of  twelve  men. 
The  Indians  of  Kecoughtan,  with  whom  they  spent  several 
days,  exulted  greatly  in  the  supposition  that  the  English 
were  out  on  a  war  expedition  against  their  dreaded  enemies, 

the  Massawomekes. 

• 

Proceeding  up  the  bay,  more  than  half  the  party  were 
prostrated  by  the  diseases  of  the  climate,  and  in  this  crip 
pled  condition  they  came  upon  seven  or  eight  canoes,  filled 
with  Indians  of  the  warlike  tribe  they  were  supposed  to  be 
in  search  of.  Seeing  that  the  English  showed  no  fear,  but 
prepared  briskly  for  an  engagement,  these  Massawomekes 
concluded  that  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  and 
fled  to  the  shore.  Being  tempted  by  the  offer  of  some 
trifling  toys,  they  at  last  came  out  to  the  barge  unarmed, 
bringing  presents  of  provisions,  targets,  skins,  and  rude 
implements  of  warfare.  They  had  been  engaged  in  war 
with  the  Indians  of  the  Tockwogh  or  Sassafras  river,  as 
their  fresh  wounds  bore  witness. 

They  disappeared  during  the  following  night,  and  the 
explorers  made  their  way  into  the  river  of  Tockwogh. 
Seeing  the  Massawomeke  weapons,  the  Tockwoghs  were 
in  ecstasy,  supposing  that  their  enemies  had  been  defeated  ; 
and  led  Smith  up  to  their  fortified  town :  "  Men,  women, 
and  children,  with  dances,  songs,  fruit,  furs,  and  what 
they  had,  stretching  their  best  abilities  to  express  their 
loves." 

Here  Smith  made  some  stay,  sending  messengers  to 
invite  a  deputation  from  the  renowned  Sasquesahanocks 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  187 

to  visit  him.  Sixty  of  "  those  giant-like  people,"  accord 
ingly  came  down  from  their  country,  bringing  presents, 
and  holding  bold  and  familiar  intercourse  with  the  stran 
gers.  The  daily  devotional  exercises  of  prayers  and  psalms, 
which  our  pious  captain  regularly  observed,  were  responded 
to,  on  the  part  of  the  wondering  savages,  by  strange  cere 
monies  of  their  own. 

"  They  began  in  a  most  passionate  manner,  to  hold  up 
their  hands  to  the  sun,  with  a  most  fearful  song,  then 
embracing  our  captain,  they  began  to  adore  him  in  like 
manner :  though  he  rebuked  them,  yet  they  proceeded  till 
their  song  was  finished :  which  done,  with  a  most  strange 
furious  action,  and  a  hellish  voice,  began  an  oration  of  their 
loves." 

They  then  clothed  him  with  rich  skins  and  mantles,  and 
proffering  beads  and  toys,  declared  that  they,  and  all  they 
had,  were  at  his  service,  if  he  would  but  lend  his  assistance 
against  the  terrible  Massawomekes. 

Returning  to  examine  the  river  Rapahanock,  Smith  fell 
in  with  a  former  acquaintance,  one  Mosco,  of  Wighcoco- 
moco.  He  was  doubtless  a  half-breed,  and  was  supposed 
to  be  some  Frenchman's  son,  as  he  rejoiced  in  the  distin 
guishing  mark  of  a  "  thick,  black,  bush  beard,  and  the  sav 
ages  seldom  have  any  at  all." 

The  English  fortified  their  boat  by  making  a  breastwork 
around  the  gunwale,  of  the  Massawomeke.  shields,  which 
were  so  thickly  plated  as  to  resist  the  arrows  of  the  savages. 
This  stood  them  in  good  stead  in  divers  skirmishes  with 
the  Rapahanocks.  On  one  occasion,  thirty  or  fort^of  that 
tribe  so  disguised  themselves  with  bushes  and  branches,  that, 
as  they  stood  discharging  their  arrows  upon  the  edge  of  the 
river,  the  English  supposed  their  array  to  be  a  natural 
growth  of  shrubs. 

Mosco  accompanied  Smith  in  his  visits  to  many  nations 
on  the  Chesapeake,  and  proved  of  no  little  service,  whether 


188  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  reception  at  their  hands  was  friendly  or  hostile.  The 
good  will  of  a  patry  of  Manahocks  was  gained  by  means 
of  favor  shown  to  a  wounded  prisoner,  whom  Mosco  would 
fain  have  despatched  —  "never  was  dog  more  furious 
against  a  bear,  than  Mosco  was  to  have  beat  out  his 
brains."  They  questioned  this  captive,  who  was  called 
Amorolock,  about  his  own  and  the  adjoining  tribes,  and 
demanded  of  him  why  his  people  had  attacked  peaceful 
strangers.  "  The  poor  savage  mildly  answered,"  that  they 
had  heard  that  the  English  were  (i  a  people  come  from 
under  the  world  to  take  their  world  from  them."  He  de 
scribed  the  Monacans  as  friendly  to  his  tribe,  and  said  that 
they  lived  in  the  mountainous  country  to  the  west,  "  by 
small  rivers,  living  upon  roots  and  fruits,  but  chiefly  by 
hunting.  The  Massawomeks  did  dwell  upon  a  great  water, 
and  had  many  boats,  and  so  many  men  that  they  made  war 
with  all  the  world." 

In  this,  and  the  preceding  voyage,  the  whole  of  the  ex 
tensive  bay  of  Chesapeake,  was  explored,  together  with  the 
lower  portions  of  the  principal  rivers  emptying  into  it ;  and 
an  accurate  chart  of  the  whole  country  still  bears  witness 
to  the  skill  and  perseverance  of  the  brave  commander. 
Curious  sketches  of  native  chiefs,  and  of  encounters  between 
them  and  the  English,  accompany  the  maps  which  illustrate 
the  quaint  and  interesting  narrative  from  which  this  por 
tion  of  our  history  is  drawn. 

Before  returning  to  Jamestown,  the  party  sailed  for  the 
southern  shores,  and  passed  up  the  Elizabeth  river  into 
the  "  Qiisapeack  "  country.  They  saw  but  few  dwellings, 
surroilnded  by  garden  plots,  but  were  struck  with  the 
magnificent  growth  of  pines  which  lined  the  banks.  Thence 
coasting  along  the  shore,  they  came  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Nandsamund,  where  a  few  Indians  were  engaged  in  fish 
ing.  These  fled  in  affright,  but  the  English  landing,  and 
leaving  some  attractive  trifles  where  they  would  find  them, 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  189 

their  demeanor  was  soon  changed.  Singing  and  dancing, 
they  invited  the  party  to  enter  the  river,  and  one  of  them 
came  on  board  the  barge.  Complying  with  the  request, 
Smith  went  up  the  stream  seven  or  eight  miles,  when  ex 
tensive  corn  fields  were  seen.  Perceiving  some  signs  of 
treachery,  he  would  not  proceed  farther,  but  endeavored  to 
regain  the  open  water  with  all  possible  expedition.  His 
fears  proved  to  be  well  grounded ;  for  on  the  way  down, 
arrows  were  poured  into  the  boat  from  either  side  of  the 
river  by  hundreds  of  Indians,  while  seven  or  eight  canoes 
filled  with  armed  men  followed  "  to  see  the  conclusion." 
Turning  upon  these,  the  English,  by  a  volley  from  their 
muskets,  soon  drove  the  savages  on  shore  and  seized  the 
canoes. 

The  Indians,  seeing  their  invaluable  canoes  in  the  ene 
mies'  power,  to  save  them  from  destruction  readily  laid 
down  their  arms  ;  and,  upon  further  communication,  agreed 
to  deliver  up  their  king's  bow  and  arrows,  and  to  furnish 
four  hundred  baskets  of  corn  to  avert  the  threatened  ven 
geance  of  the  terrible  strangers. 


CHAPTEK    III. 

CORONATION  OP  POWHATAN.  —  SMITH'S  VISIT  TO  WEROWOCOMOCO 
FOR  SUPPLIES. —TREACHERY  OF  POWHATAN.— SMITH  A  SECOND 
TIME  PRESERVED  BY  POCAHONTAS.  — VISIT  TO  PAMUNKY. —  FIGHT 
WITH  THE  KING  OF  PASPAHEGH.  — ASCENDENCY  OF  THE  ENGLISH. 

IN  the  ensuing  September,  Smith  was  formally  made 
president  of  the  colony  at  Jamestown,  and  set  himself 
promptly  to  correct  abuses  and  perfect  the  company  in 
the  military  exercises  so  suited  to  his  own  inclinations, 
and  so  essential  in  their  isolated  and  dangerous  position. 


190  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  wandering  savages  would  collect  in  astonishment  to 
see  these  performances,  standing  "  in  amazement  to  behold 
how  a  file  would  batter  a  tree,  where  he  would  make  them 
a  mark  to  shoot  at." 

Newport,  soon  after,  made  his  appearance,  bringing  out 
from  England  many  adventurers  ill-suited  to  the  life  before 
them  in  the  new  country :  "  thirty  carpenters,  husband 
men,  gardeners,  fishermen,  blacksmiths,  masons,  and  dig 
gers  up  of  trees'  roots,"  says  Smith,  would  have  been 
worth  a  thousand  of  them.  By  the  same  arrival,  came  a 
large  boat,  brought  out  in  five  pieces,  to  be  used  in  further 
explorations  in  search  of  the  South  Sea,  and  a  crown,  with 
brilliant  trappings  and  regalia,  for  the  solemn  coronation 
of  Powhatan.  Smith  speaks  with  great  contempt  of  this 
transaction :  the  "  costly  novelties  had  been  much  better 
well  spared  than  so  ill-spent,"  for  they  had  the  king's 
"  favor  much  better  only  for  a  plain  piece  of  copper,  till 
this  stately  kind  of  soliciting  made  him  so  much  overvalue 
himself  that  he  respected  us  as  much  as  nothing  at  all." 

The  captain,  with  four  companions,  volunteered  to  go  to 
Werowocomoco,  and  invite  Powhatan  to  come  to  James 
town  and  receive  his  presents.  Arriving  at  the  village, 
they  found  that  the  chief  was  thirty  miles  away  from 
home  ;  but  a  messenger  was  despatched  for  him,  and, 
meanwhile,  his  daughter  Pocahontas  exerted  herself,  to  the 
best  of  her  ability,  to  divert  and  entertain  her  guests.  This 
was  done  after  a  strange  fashion.  A  masquerade  dance 
of  some  thirty  young  women,  nearly  naked,  was  ushered 
in  by  such  a  "  hideous  noise  and  shrieking,"  that  the  Eng 
lish  seized  on  some  old  men  who  stood  by,  as  hostages, 
thinking  that  treachery  was  intended.  They  were  relieved 
from  apprehension  by  the  assurances  of  Pocahontas,  and 
the  pageant  proceeded.  The  leader  of  the  dance  was  decked 
with  a  "  fair  pair  of  buck's  horns  on  her  head,  and  an 
otter's  skin  at  her  girdle."  The  others  were  also  horned, 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  191 

and  painted  and  equipped,  "  every  one  with  their  several 
devices.  These  fiends  with  most  hellish  shouts  and  cries, 
rushing  from  among  the  trees,  cast  themselves  in  a  ring 
about  the  fire,  singing  and  dancing  with  most  excellent  ill 
variety."  Afterwards,  when  Smith  had  entered  one  of  their 
wigwams,  "  all  these  nymphs  more  tormented  him  than 
ever  with  crowding,  pressing  and  hanging  about  him,  most 
tediously  crying,  Love  you  not  me  ?  love  you  not  me  ?  " 

Upon  Powhatan's  return,  he  proudly  refused  to  go  to 
Jamestown  for  his  presents,  standing  upon  his  dignity  as 
a  king ;  and  the  robes  and  trinkets  were  accordingly  sent 
round  to  Werowocomoco  by  water.  The  coronation  scene 
must  have  been  ludicrous  in  the  extreme  :  "  the  presents 
were  brought  him,  his  basin  and  ewer,  bed  and  furni 
ture  set  up,  his  scarlet  cloak  and  apparel  with  much  ado 
put  on  him,  being  persuaded  by  Namontack,  they  would 
not  hurt  him  :  but  a  foul  trouble  there  was  to  make  him 
kneel  to  receive  his  crown,  he  neither  knowing  the  ma 
jesty  nor  meaning  of  a  crown,  nor  bending  of  the  knee, 
endured  so  many  persuasions,  examples  and  instructions 
as  tired  them  all ;  at  last,  by  leaning  hard  on  his  shoul 
ders,  he  a  little  stooped,  and  three  having  the  crown  in 
their  hands,  put  it  on  his  head,  when,  by  the  warning  of  a 
pistol  the  boats  were  prepared  with  such  a  volley  of  shot, 
that  the  king  start  up  with  a  horrible  fear  till  he  saw  all 
was  well." 

After  this,  Newport,  with  one  hundred  and  twenty  men, 
made  some  unimportant  explorations,  above  the  falls, 
among  the  Monacans.  Their  continual  greedy  search  for 
mines  of  the  precious  metals  interfered  with  useful  opera 
tions  and  discoveries. 

The  Indians  now  became  unwilling  to  trade,  and  Pow- 
hatan  seemed  to  have  adopted  the  policy  of  starving  out 
the  colony.  We  can  hardly  justify  the  course  of  Smith 
in  enforcing  supplies,  on  any  other  plea  than  that  of  ne- 


192  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

cesiity ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  he  alone  seemed  to  have  that 
power  and  influence  ver  the  simple  savages  which  could 
secure  at  once  their  love  and  fear. 

Powhatan  having  at  last  agreed  to  furnish  a  ship-load 
of  corn,  if  the  English  would  build  him  a  house,  and  fur 
nish  him  with  a  grindstone,  a  cock  and  hen,  some  arms, 
copper  and  beads,  five  men  were  sent  to  Werowocomoco 
to  commence  operations.  Three  of  these  were  Dutchmen. 

To  carry  out  this  contract,  and  procure  the  promised 
corn,  Smith  started  for  the  camp  of  Powhatan  towards  the 
last  of  December,  (1608,)  accompanied  by  twenty-seven 
men  in  the  barge  and  pinnace,  while  a  number  of  others 
crossed  the  country  to  build  the  proposed  house.  At  War- 
raskoyack,  the  friendly  king  cautioned  him  against  being 
deceived  by  Powhatan's  expressions  of  kindness,  insisting 
that  treachery  was  intended. 

Christmas  was  spent  by  the  party  at  Kecoughtan,  on  the 
left  bank  of  James'  river,  near  its  mouth;  and  merry 
cheer  was  made  upon  game  and  oysters.  They  reached 
Werowocomoco  on  the  12th  of  January,  and  landed  with 
much  difficulty,  as  the  river  was  bordered  with  ice,  to  break 
through  which  they  were  obliged  to  wade  waist-deep,  "a 
flight-shot  through  this  muddy  frozen  oase." 

Powhatan  gave  them  venison  and  turkeys  for  their  im 
mediate  use,  but  when  the  subject  of  the  corn  was  broached, 
he  protested  that  he  and  his  people  had  little  or  none,  and 
demanded  forty  swords  in  case  he  should  procure  forty 
baskets.  Smith  replied  sternly,  upbraiding  him  for  du 
plicity  and  faithlessness,  and  cautioning  him  not  to  pro 
voke  hostilities  where  friendship  only  was  intended.  The 
wily  chief,  on  the  other  hand,  made  many  deprecatory 
speeches,  continually  urging  Smith  to  direct  his  men  to 
lay  down  their  arms,  that  the  conference  should  appear  to 
be  peaceful,  and  the  Indians  feel  at  ease  and  in  safety, 
while  bringing  in  their  corn. 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  193 

After  much  bargaining  and  haggling,  a  "small  quantity 
of  corn  was  procured,  and  Powhatan  made  a  most  plausi 
ble  and  characteristic  speech  to  persuade  Smith  that  noth 
ing  could  be  farther  from  his  intention  than  hostility.  Can 
you  suppose,  said  he,  that  I,  a  man  of  age  and  experience, 
having  outlived  three  generations  of  my  people,  should 
be  a  so  simple  as  not  to  know  it  is  better  to  eat  good  meat, 
lie  well  and  sleep  quietly  with  my  women  and  children, 
laugh  and  be  merry  with  you,  have  copper,  hatchets,  or 
what  I  want  being  your  friend  :  than  be  forced  to  fly  from 
all,  to  lie  cold  in  the  woods,  feed  upon  acorns,  roots,  and 
such  trash,  and  be  so  hunted  by  you  that  I  can  neither 
rest,  eat,  nor  sleep ;  but  my  tired  men  must  watch,  and 
if  a  twig  but  break,  every  one  crieth,  there  comes  Captain 
Smith  ?  " 

Thus  the  time  was  spent  in  useless  discourse,  and  Smith, 
perceiving  that  the  Indians  were  only  watching  for  an  op 
portunity  to  attack  him  unawares,  ordered  the  barge  to  be 
brought  to  shore,  and  the  pittance  of  corn  to  be  stowed  on 
board.  Powhatan  then  disappeared,  but  immediately  sent 
his  warriors  to  surround  the  house  and  cut  off"  Smith  while 
the  body  of  the  English  were  engaged  with  the  barge. 

Aided  only  by  one  companion,  the  valiant  captain  rushed 
forth,  "  with  his  pistol,  sword  and  target,"  and  "  made 
such  a  passage  among  these  naked  devils,  that,  at  his  first 
shoot,  they  next  him  tumbled  one  over  another."  Seeing 
that  Smith  had  rejoined  his  company,  Powhatan  pretended 
that  he  had  sent  his  people  to  guard  the  corn  from  being 
stolen,  and  renewed  his  protestations  of  friendship. 

The  boats  being  left  ashore  by  the  tide,  the  captain  was 
obliged  to  spend  the  night  on  shore.  Powhatan  now  con 
ceived  himself  sure  of  his  victims,  and  gathered  all  his 
people,  with  the  intention  of  surprising  Smith  under  cover 
of  the  night.  "  Notwithstanding  the  eternal  all-seeing  God 
did  prevent  him,  and  by  a  strange  means.  For  Poca- 


194  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

hontas,  his  dearest  jewel  and  daughter,  in  that  dark  night 
came  through  the  irksome  woods,  and  told  our  captain 
great  cheer  should  be  sent  us  by  and  by ;  but  Powhatan 
and  all  the  power  he  could  make,  would  after  come  and 
kill  us  all,  if  they  that  brought  it  could  not  kill  us  with 
our  own  weapons  when  we  were  at  supper.  Therefore  if 
we  would  live,  she  wished  us  presently  to  be  gone.  Such 
things  as  she  delighted  in  he  would  have  given  her  ;  but 
with  the  tears  running  down  her  cheeks,  she  said  she  durst 
not  be  seen  to  have  any;  for  if  Powhatan  should  know 
it  she  were  but  dead,  and  so  she  ran  away  by  herself  as 
she  came." 

One  can  readily  imagine  the  distress  of  the  poor  child 
at  feeling  thus  compelled,  by  her  affection  for  her  English 
friend,  to  become  unfaithful  to  her  father  and  her  own 
people. 

The  feast  was  sent  in  shortly  after,  by  a  number  of 
strong  warriors,  who  were  very  earnest  in  their  invitation 
to  the  party  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  fall  to.  The 
matches  which  the  English  kept  burning  met  with  their 
decided  disapproval,  the  smoke,  as  they  averred,  making 
them  sick.  Smith,  being  forewarned,  did  not  fail  to  spend 
the  night  in  vigilance,  and  sent  word  to  Powhatan  that  he 
felt  well  convinced  of  his  villanous  intentions,  and  should 
be  prepared  for  him.  The  Dutchmen,  who  were  with  the 
king,  were  all  along  supposed  to  be  implicated  in  his  treach 
ery,  being  inimical  to  Smith,  and  glad  of  an  opportunity 
to  destroy  him.  After  his  departure  from  Werowocomoco, 
two  of  them  hastened  to  Jamestown,  and,  by  various  pre 
tences,  obtained  a  quantity  of  arms,  which,  with  the  assist 
ance  of  some  Indian  companions,  they  carried  off  to  Pow 
hatan.  In  return  for  this  assistance,  he  promised  them 
immunity  from  the  havoc  that  should  overtake  the  colony, 
and  high  office  and  power  in  his  own  service. 

Continuing  his  search  for   provision,  Smith  arrived  at 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  195 

Pamunky,  where  Opechancanough  received  him  with  ap 
parent  kindness,  but  showed  no  readiness  to  trade.  Smith 
reminded  him  of  former  promises  and  injuries,  and  ex 
pressed  a  determination  to  obtain  supplies  ;  proffering  just 
payment.  The  chief  managed  to  decoy  the  captain  and 
his  "old  fifteen"  into  his  house,  exhibiting  some  baskets 
of  corn,  which  he  alleged  were  procured  with  great  diffi 
culty,  but  in  the  meantime  some  seven  hundred  armed 
warriors,  by  his  orders,  surrounded  the  building. 

Our  brave  captain,  first  exhorting  his  men  to  show  no 
signs  of  fear,  now  sternly  addressed  the  king,  challenging 
him  to  single  combat,  with  equal  arms,  upon  an  island  in 
the  river.  Opechancanough  still  pretended  good  will  and 
friendship,  and  attempted  to  entice  Smith  out  at  the  door, 
by  promises  of  munificent  presents  :  "  the  bait  was  guarded 
with  at  least  two  hundred  men,  and  thirty  lying  under  a 
great  tree  (that  lay  thwart,  as  a  barricade)  each  his  arrow 
nocked  ready  to  shoot." 

Smith,  perceiving  that  prompt  action  was  now  necessary, 
sprang  upon  the  king,  and,  holding  him  by  the  fore-lock 
with  one  hand,  while,  with  the  other,  he  held  a  cocked 
pistol  to  his  breast,  he  led  him  forth  among  his  people. 
Opechancanough,  completely  cowed,  delivered  up  his  arms, 
and  all  his  warriors,  amazed  at  the  Englishman's  audacity, 
laid  theirs  upon  the  ground. 

Still  keeping  hold  of  the  chief's  hair,  Smith  made  a 
brief  oration,  threatening  terrible  vengeance  if  a  drop  of 
English  blood  should  be  spilt,  and  declaring  that  if  they 
would  not  sell  him  corn  he  would  freight  his  ship  with 
their  carcasses.  He  promised,  moreover,  continued  friend 
ship  if  no  further  cause  for  complaint  were  given.  All 
now  made  friendly  protestations,  and  brought  in  abundance 
of  provision ;  but,  as  Smith  lay  down  to  recruit  himself 
with  a  little  sleep,  a  great  number  of  the  savages  rushed 
in  to  overpower  him.  This  attack  was  repelled  as  success* 
12 


196  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

fully  and  promptly  as  the  first.  The  king  in  a  lengthy 
speech  excused  and  explained  the  movement,  and  the  day 
ended  in  peaceful  trade  and  barter. 

At  this  time  arrived  one  Richard  Wyffin,  who  had  ven 
turously  made  his  way  alone  through  the  wilderness  to 
announce  to  Smith  a  great  loss  which  the  colony  had  met 
with  in  the  death  of  Gosnoll  and  eight  companions.  They 
had  started  in  a  skiff  for  the  Isle  of  Hogs,  and  were  upset 
by  a  gale  "  (that  extreme  frozen  time)  "  and  drowned. 
Wyffin  had  stopped  at  Powhatan's  head-quarters,  and  only 
escaped  destruction  by  the  kindness  of  the  Englishman's 
fast  friend  Pocahontas.  She  "  hid  him  for  a  time,  and 
sent  them  who  pursued  him  the  clean  contrary  way  to 
seek  him." 

Concealing  this  disastrous  intelligence  from  his  followers, 
Captain  Smith  set  Opechancanough  at  liberty,  and  again 
embarked,  intending,  ere  his  return  to  Jamestown,  to  se 
cure  the  person  of  Powhatan.  That  chief  had  issued  gen 
eral  orders  for  the  destruction  of  Smith,  and  every  where, 
as  the  boat  passed  along  the  river  bank,  crowds  of  Indians 
would  appear,  bringing  corn  in  baskets,  and  offering  it  to 
the  company  if  they  would  come  for  it  unarmed.  Their 
intention  was  evidently  to  draw  the  English  into  an  am 
buscade.  The  captain  succeeded  in  surprising  one  of  these 
parties,  and  obtaining  their  provision. 

Some  of  them,  who  consented  to  trade,  supplied  the 
English  with  poisoned  food,  which  was  eaten  by  Smith  and 
others,  but  the  poison  did  not  prove  sufficiently  potent  to 
destroy  their  lives.  Suspicion  fell  upon  a  vigorous  young 
warrior  named  Wecuttanow,  as  the  author  of  this  treach 
ery  ;  but  he,  having  forty  or  fifty  companions  with  him, 
"  so  proudly  braved  it  as  though  he  expected  to  encounter 
a  revenge.  Which  the  president  (Smith)  perceiving  in  the 
midst  of  his  company,  did  not  only  beat,  but  spurned  him 
like  a  dog,  as  scorning  to  do  him  any  worse  mischief." 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  197 

At  other  places  where  provision  was  sought,  it  was  plain 
that  the  Indians  were  themselves  in  want,  and  "  imparted 
that  little  they  had  with  such  complaints  and  tears  from 
the  eyes  of  women  and  children  as  he  had  been  too  cruel 
to  have  been,  a  Christian  that  would  not  have  been  satisfied 
and  moved  wfth  compassion." 

Powhatan,  cautioned  by  "those  damned  Dutchmen," 
had  left  Werowocomoco,  with  all  his  effects,  before  Smith 
arrived  there,  and  the  plan  of  making  him  prisoner  was 
therefore  abandoned.  Here  Smith  breaks  out  into  a  spir 
ited  justification  of  his  conduct  and  purposes,  complaining 
that  fault  had  been  found  with  him,  by  some,  for  cruelty 
and  harshness,  and  by  others  for  want  of  energy  and  de 
termination.  He  draws  a  strong  contrast  between  the  pro 
ceedings  of  the  English  colony  and  the  manner  in  which 
the  Spaniards  usualry  followed  up  their  discoveries.  It 
was  not  pleasing,  he  says,  to  some,  that  he  had  temporized 
with  such  a  treacherous  people,  and  "  that  he  washed  not 
the  ground  with  their  bloods,  nor  showed  such  strange  in 
ventions  in  mangling,  murdering,  ransacking,  and  destroy 
ing,  (as  did  the  Spaniards,)  the  simple  bodies  of  such  ig 
norant  souls." 

The  renegade  Dutchmen  had  a  place  of  rendezvous  near 
Jamestown,  known  as  the  "glass  house,"  whither  they 
resorted,  with  their  Indian  associates,  to  carry  on  their  sys 
tem  of  pilfering  arms  and  other  articles  from  the  colony. 
Captain  Smith  making  a  visit  to  this  spot,  with  the  inten 
tion  of  arresting  one  of  them,  named  Francis,  whom  he 
had  heard  to  be  there,  was  set  upon,  as  he  returned  alone, 
by  the  king  of  Paspahegh,  "  a  most  strong  stout  savage," 
and  a  terrible  personal  encounter  ensued.  The  Indian 
closed  upon  him,  so  that  he  could  make  no  use  of  his  fal 
chion,  and,  by  sheer  strength,  dragged  him  into  the  river. 
After  a  desperate  struggle,  Smith  succeeded  in  grasping 
the  savage  by  the  throat,  and  in  drawing  his  weapon. 


198  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

"  Seeing  how  pitifully  he  begged  for  his  life,  he  led  him 
prisoner  to  Jamestown,  and  put  him  in  chains."  His 
women  and  children  came  every  day  to  visit  him,  bringing 
presents  to  propitiate  the  English.  Being  carelessly 
guarded,  the  king  finally  made  his  escape.  In  attempts  to 
recover  him,  some  fighting  and  bloodshed  en^tfed,  and  two 
Indians,  named  Kemp  and  Tussore,  "  the  two  most  exact 
villains  in  all  the  country,"  were  taken  prisoners.  Smith, 
with  a  corps  of  soldiery,  proceeding  to  punish  the  Indians 
on  the  Chickahominy,  passed  by  Paspahegh,  and  there 
concluded  a  peace  with  the  natives.  They  at  first  ven 
tured  to  attack  him,  but  unable  to  resist  the  English 
weapons,  they  threw  down  their  arms,  and  sent  forward  a 
young  warrior,  called  Okaning,  to  make  an  oration. 

He  represented  that  his  chief,  in  effecting  an  escape,  had 
but  followed  the  instincts  of  nature;  that  fowls,  beasts, 
and  fishes  strove  to  avoid  captivity  and  snares,  and  why 
should  not  man  be  allowed  so  universal  a  privilege  ?  He 
added  that,  if  the  English  would  not  live  at  peace  with 
them,  the  tribe  must  abandon  the  country,  and  the  supplies 
which  the  colony  had  heretofore  obtained  from  them  be 
thereby  cut  off. 

The  power  and  influence  of  Smith  among  the  savages 
was  infinitely  increased  by  a  circumstance  which  occurred 
immediately  after  his  return  to  Jamestown.  A  pistol  had 
been  stolen  by  a  Chickahominy  Indian,  and  his  two  broth 
ers,  supposed  to  be  privy  to  the  theft,  had  been  seized,  to 
secure  its  return.  One  of  them  was  sent  in  search  of  the 
missing  article,  assured  that  his  brother  should  be  hanged 
if  it  was  not  forthcoming  within  twelve  hours.  Smith, 
"  pitying  the  poor  naked  savage  in  the  dungeon,  sent  him 
victuals,  and  some  charcoal  for  a  fire ;  ere  midnight,  his 
brother  returned  with  the  pistol,  but  the  poor  savage  in  the 
dungeon  was  so  smothered  with  the  smoke  he  had  made, 
and  so  piteously  burned,"  that  he  appeared  to  be  dead. 


INDIANS   OP   VIRGINIA.  199 

His  brother,  overwhelmed  with  grief,  uttered  such  touch 
ing  lamentations  over  the  body,  that  Captain  Smith, 
although  feeling  little  hope  of  success,  assured  him  that 
he  would  bring  the  dead  Indian  to  life,  provided  he  and 
his  fellows  would  give  over  their  thieving.  Energetic 
treatment  restored  the  poor  fellow  to  consciousness,  and, 
his  burns  being  dressed/ the  simple  pair  were  sent  on  their 
way,  each  with  a  small  present,  to  spread  the  report,  far 
and  near,  that  Captain  Smith  had  power  to  restore  the  dead 
to  life.  Not  long  after,  several  Indians  were  killed  by  the 
explosion  of  a  quantity  of  powder,  which  they  were  at 
tempting  to  dry  upon  a  plate  of  armor,  as  they  had  seen 
the  English  do.  "These,  and  many  other  such  pretty 
accidents,  so  amazed  and  frighted  both  Powhatan  and  all 
his  people,"  that  they  came  in  from  all  quarters,  returning 
stolen  property,  and  begging  for  favor  and  peace  :  "  and 
all  the  country,"  says  the  narrator,  "  became  absolutely  as 
free  for  us  as  for  themselves." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DISTRESS  OF  THE  COLONIES.  —  MARTIN  AND  WEST'S  SETTLEMENTS.  — 
ARRIVAL  OF  LORD  DE  LA  WARRE.  —  RETALIATIONS  UPON  THE  NA 
TIVES.  —  SEIZURE  OF  POCAHONTAS  :  HER  MARRIAGE.  —  PEACE  WITH 
THE  INDIANS.  — POCAHONTAS  VISITS  ENGLAND:  HER  DEATH.— 
DEATH  OF  POWHATAN.  —  PORY'S  SETTLEMENT. 

WHILE  Captain  Smith  remained  in  America,  and  con 
tinued  in  power,  he  maintained  his  authority  over  the  na 
tives.  In  a  grievous  famine  that  succeeded  the  events  we 
have  just  detailed,  they  proved  of  infinite  service  in  pro 
viding  the  wild  products  of  the  forest  for  the  starving 


200  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

colonists.  Many  of  the  English  were  sent  out  to  live  with 
the  savages,  and  learn  their  arts  of  gathering  and  prepar 
ing  the  roots  and  other  edibles  that  must  take  the  place  of 
corn.  These  were  treated  with  every  kindness  by  the  In 
dians,  "  of  whom,"  says  Smith,  "  there  was  more  hope  to 
make  better  Christians  and  good  subjects  than  the  one  half 
of  those  that  counterfeited  themselves  both."  Kemp  and 
Tussore,  who  had  been  set  at  liberty,  remained  thereafter 
stanch  adherents  to  the  English  interests.  Sundry  mal 
contents  belonging  to  the  colony  had  fled  into  the  woods, 
thinking  to  live  in  ease  among  the  natives,  whom  they 
promised  revenge  upon  their  old  conqueror,  the  president. 
Kemp,  however,  instead  of  giving  ear  to  these  persuasions, 
fed  them  "  with  this  law,  who  would  not  work  must  not 
eat,  till  they  were  near  starved  indeed,  continually  threat 
ening  to  beat  them  to  death ;  "  and  finally  carried  them 
forcibly  back  to  Captain  Smith. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  summer  of  1609,  large  supplies 
came  over  from  England,  and  a  great  number  of  factious 
and  disorderly  adventurers  were  brought  into  the  new  set 
tlement.  Unwilling  to  submit  to  the  authority  of  the 
president,  insatiate  after  mines  of  gold  and  silver,  cowardly 
in  battle,  and  cruel  and  treacherous  in  peace,  their  distress 
proved  commensurate  with  their  unthrift.  At  Nansemund, 
a  company,  under  one  Captain  Martin,  after  wantonly  pro 
voking  the  ill  will  of  the  natives,  was  unable  to  resist 
their  attacks ;  and  another  division  under  West,  which  at 
tempted  a  settlement  at  the  falls  of  James'  river,  proved 
equally  inefficient  and  impolitic.  "  The  poor  savages 
that  daily  brought  in  their  contributions  to  the  presi 
dent,  that  disorderly  company  so  tormented  those  poor 
souls,  by  stealing  their  corn,  robbing  their  gardens,  beat 
ing  them,  breaking  their  houses  and  keeping  some 
prisoners,  that  they  daily  complained  to  Captain  Smith, 
he  had  brought  them  for  protectors  worse  enemies 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  201 

than  the  Monacans  themselves  :  they  desired  pardon  if 
hereafter  they  defended  themselves." 

Carrying  out  this  intention,  the  Indians  fell  upon  the 
fort  immediately  after  Smith's  departure,  he  having  set 
sail  for  Jamestown.  His  vessel  taking  ground  before  he 
had  proceeded  far,  he  was  called  upon  to  interfere,  and 
brought  matters  to  an  amicable  conclusion,  removing  the 
English  from  the  inconvenient  spot  they  had  selected  for 
their  habitation  into  the  pleasant  country  of  Powhatan. 

Before  reaching  Jamestown,  Captain  Smith  met  with  so 
severe  an  accident  by  the  firing  of  a  bag  of  gun-powder, 
that  he  was  thereafter  incapacitated  from  further  service  in 
the  colony.  So  terribly  was  his  flesh  torn  and  burned, 
that,  to  relieve  the  pain,  he  instantly  threw  himself  into 
the  river,  from  which  he  was  with  difficulty  rescued.  It 
being  impossible  to  procure  the  necessary  medical  assist 
ance  for  the  cure  of  so  extensive  an  injury,  he  took  pas 
sage  for  England  by  the  first  opportunity,  and  never  again 
revisited  the  colony  he  had  planted  and  supported  with 
such  singular  devotion,  energy,  and  courage.  The  fate  of 
the  two  principal  of  the  Dutch  conspirators  against  his 
life,  is  thus  chronicled :  "  But  to  see  the  justice  of  God 
upon  these  Dutchmen  :  —  Adam  and  Francis  were  fled 
again  to  Powhatan,  to  whom  they  promised,  at  the  arrival 
of  my  Lord  (La  Warre),  what  wonders  they  would  do, 
would  he  suffer  them  but  to  go  to  him.  But  the  king,  see 
ing  they  would  be  gone,  replied  ;  you  that  would  have  be 
trayed  Captain  Smith  to  me,  will  certainly  betray  me  to 
this  great  lord  for  your  peace ;  so  caused  his  men  to  beat 
out  their  brains." 

Smith's  departure  was  the  signal  for  general  defection 
among  the  Indians.  They  seized  the  boats  of  the  settlers 
under  Martin  and  West ;  who,  unable  to  keep  their  ground, 
returned  to  Jamestown,  with  the  loss  of  nearly  half  their 
men.  A  party  of  thirty  or  forty,  bound  upon  a  trading 


202  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

expedition,  was  set  upon  by  Powhatan  and  his  warriors, 
and  all  except  two  were  slain.  One  of  these,  a  boy,  named 
Henry  Spilman,  was  preserved  by  the  intervention  of 
Pocahontas,  and  sent  to  live  among  the  Patawomekes. 
Reduced  to  the  greatest  extremity,  the  English  were 
obliged  to  barter  their  very  arms  for  provisions,  thus  add 
ing  to  the  power  of  the  enemy  in  the  same  ratio  that  they 
weakened  their  own  resources.  Famine,  pestilence,  and 
savage  invasion  reduced  the  colony,  which  before  had 
numbered  five  hundred  inhabitants,  to  about  sixty  miser 
able  and  helpless  wretches,  within  the  short  space  of  six 
months  from  the  time  that  Smith  set  sail.  The  crude  prod 
ucts  of  the  forest  formed  their  principal  food ;  te  nay,  so 
great  was  our  famine,"  proceeds  the  narrative,  "  that  a 
savage  we  slew  and  buried,  the  poorer  sort  took  him  up 
again  and  eat  him,  and  so  did  divers  one  another,  boiled 
and  stewed  with  roots  and  herbs  :  atid  one  amongst  the 
rest  did  kill  his  wife,  powdered  her,  and  had  eaten  part  of 
her  before  it  was  known,  for  which  he  was  executed  as  he 
well  deserved." 

Upon  the  arrival  of  a  ship,  with  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and 
company,  all  the  unfortunate  settlers,  abandoning  their 
town,  took  passage  with  him  for  England.  At  the  com 
mencement  of  the  voyage,  they  fell  in  with  Lord  La 
Warre,  who  was  on  his  way  to  Jamestown,  bringing  with 
him  large  supplies  of  men  and  necessaries ;  and  all  re 
turned  together  to  Jamestown. 

Fortunately  the  Indians  had  not,  as  yet,  destroyed  the 
fort,  and  the  numbers  and  efficiency  of  the  whites  were  so 
far  increased,  that  they  were  "  able  to  tame  the  fury  and 
treachery  of  the  savages." 

On  the  15th  of  June  (1610)  Captain  Argall,  being  en 
gaged  in  a  trading  expedition  among  the  Patawomekes, 
found  there  the  young  prisoner,  Henry  Spilman,  who  had 
met  with  kind  treatment,  and  by  whose  intervention 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGIANIA.  203 

abundance  of  corn  was  procured.  Frequent  mention  is 
made  of  Spilman  in  subsequent  portions  of  Virginian  his 
tory.  He  was  killed  by  the  Potomac  Indians,  in  1623, 
while  on  a  trading  expedition  up  the  river.  Having  gone 
oft  shore  with  some  of  his  company,  some  difficulty  arose, 
and,  after  a  short  skirmish,  those  on  board  the  boat  "  heard 
a  great  bruit  among  the  savages  ashore,  and  saw  a  man's 
head  thrown  down  the  bank,  whereupon  they  weighed 
anchor  and  returned  home  ;  but  how  he  was  surprised  or 
slain  is  uncertain." 

That  the  colonists  were  not  slow  in  making  use  of  their 
newly-acquired  power  over  the  natives  in  their  vicinity, 
sufficiently  appears  from  the  manner  in  which  they  re 
venged  some  injuries  received  from  those  of  Paspahegh. 
Not  satisfied  with  burning  their  town,  they  deliberately 
put  to  death  the  queen  and  her  children,  who  had  fallen 
into  their  hands. 

In  the  following  year  the  Appomatuck  Indians,  for 
some  offences,  were  driven  from  their  homes,  and  their 
corn  was  seized,  "  without  the  loss  of  any  except  some  few 
savages."  The  manner  in  which  peaceful  intercourse  was 
at  last  established  with  Powhatan,  however  it  may  be  jus 
tified  upon  the  plea  of  necessity,  reflects  but  little  credit 
upon  the  English.  Argall,  in  the  year  1613,  (according 
to  some  chronicles,)  while  up  the  Potomac  in  search  of 
corn,  heard  from  the  sachem  Japazaws  that  Pocahontas, 
who  had  not  been  seen  at  Jamestown  since  Smith's  depart 
ure,  was  residing  among  his  people.  The  captain  deter 
mined  not  to  lose  the  opportunity  to  secure  so  valuable  a 
hostage,  and  having,  by  the  assistance  of  Japazaws,  de 
coyed  her  on  board  his  ship,  he  made  her  prisoner.  The 
treacherous  Potomac  sachem  pretended  great  distress ; 
"  the  old  Jew  and  his  wife  began  to  howl  and  cry  as  fast 
as  Pocahontas,"  but  appeared  pacified  when  Argall  told 
them  that  the  princess  should  be  well  treated,  and  restored 


204  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

as  soon  as  Powhatan  would  make  restitution  of  the  goods 
he  had  purloined  and  plundered  from  the  colony. 

When  the  emperor  learned  of  this  transaction,  the  "  un 
welcome  news  much  troubled  him,  because  he  loved  both 
his  daughter  and  the  English  commodities  well ;  "  and  J^e 
left  Pocahontas  in  the  enemies'  hands  for  several  months 
before  he  deigned  to  pay  the  least  attention  to  their  de 
mands.  It  has  been  supposed,  and  with  great  show  of 
reason,  that  the  kind-hearted  girl  had  lost  favor  with  her 
father  by  her  sympathy  with  the  English,  and  by  endeav 
oring  to  save  them  at  the  time  of  the  massacres  which  pre 
ceded  the  last  arrival ;  and  that  this  was  the  cause  of  her* 
retirement  to  Potomac. 

When  Powhatan  at  last  consented  to  treat,  his  offers 
were  entirely  unsatisfactory  to  the  English,  and  another 
long  interval  elapsed  without  any  communication  from 
him.  Meantime,  an  ardent  attachment  had  sprung  up  be 
tween  Pocahontas  and  a  young  Englishman  of  the  colony 
named  John  Rolfe,  "  an  honest  gentleman  and  of  good  be 
havior."  When  it  was  at  last  concluded  to  use  open  force 
to  reduce  Powhatan  to  compliance  with  the  English  re 
quisitions,  a  large  force  proceeded  to  the  chief's  head-quar 
ters,  by  water,  taking  the  princess  with  them.  The  Indians 
exhibited  an  insolent  and  warlike  demeanor,  but  were  easily 
put  to  flight,  and  their  town  was  burned.  Pursuing  their 
advantage,  the  invading  party  proceeded  up  the  river  to 
Matchot,  where,  a  truce  being  agreed  upon,  two  of  Pow- 
hatan's  sons  came  to  visit  their  sister,  and,  overjoyed  at 
finding  her  well  and  kindly  cared  for,  promised  their  best 
endeavors  to  bring  matters  to  a  peaceful  issue.  Rolfe,  with 
one  companion,  had  an  interview  with  Opechancanough, 
who  also  declared  that  he  would  strive  to  persuade  the 
king  to  compliance  with  the  English  proposals. 

When  Powhatan  heard  of  the  proposed  marriage  of  his 
daughter,  his  anger  and  resentment  towards  the  whites 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  205 

seemed  to  be  appeased.  He  sent  his  brother  Opitchapan, 
and  others  of  his  family,  to  witness  the  ceremony,  and 
readily  permitted  the  old  terms  of  trade  and  intimacy  to  be 
renewed.  Pocahontas  and  John  Rolfe  were  married  about 
the  1st  of  April,  1613. 

The  Chickahominies,  hearing  that  Powhatan  was  in 
league  with  the  colony,  felt  little  inclined  to  be  upon  ill 
terms  with  so  powerful  'a  confederacy ;  and,  having  made 
advances,  a  treaty  of  friendship  was  entered  into  with  all 
due  forms  and  ceremonies. 

Not  contented  with  the  security  against  Powhatan's  hos 
tility  which  the  possession  of  his  beloved  daughter  af 
forded,  the  colonial  governor,  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  sought 
yet  another  hostage  from  the  king ;  and  in  1614  sent  John 
Rolfe  and  Ralph  Hamor  to  his  court  for  this  purpose. 

The  aged  chief  received  them  with  courtesy  and  kind 
ness,  and  appeared  pleased  and  gratified  at  the  accounts 
which  they  gave  him  of  Pocahontas'  satisfaction  with  hey 
new  alliance,  and  the  religion  and  customs  of  the  English. 
"When  the  purpose  of  the  mission  was  made  known  to  him, 
which  was  no  other  than  the  obtaining  possession  of  his 
youngest  daughter,  upon  pretext  of  marrying  her  nobly, 
Powhatan  gravely  refused  compliance.  He  would  never 
trust  himself,  he  said,  in  the  poAver  of  the  English  ;  and, 
therefore,  if  he  should  send  away  his  child,  whom  he  now 
loved  as  his  life,  and  beyond  all  his  other  numerous  off 
spring,  it  wrould  be  never  again  to  behold  her.  "  My 
brother,"  he  added,  "  hath  a  pledge,  one  of  my  daughters, 
which  so  long  as  she  lives  shall  be  sufficient ;  when  she 
dies  he  shall  have  another  :  I  hold  it  not  a  brotherly  part 
to  desire  to  bereave  me  of  my  two  children  at  once." 

Pocahontas  was  carefully  educated  in  the  Christian 
religion,  which  she  appeared  sincerely  to  embrace.  She 
nourished  the  warmest  affection  for  her  husband,  —  upon 
his  part  faithfully  returned  ;  and  what  with  these  new  ties, 


206  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

and  the  enlarged  ideas  attendant  upon  education  and  inter 
course  with  intelligent  Europeans,  she  seemed  entirely  to 
lose  all  desire  of  associating  with  her  own  people. 

Rolfe  and  his  wife  sailed  for  England  in  1616,  and 
reached  Plymouth  on  the  12th  of  June.  Great  interest 
was  excited  by  their  arrival,  both  at  court  and  among 
many  people  of  distinction.  Captain  Smith  prepared  an 
address  to  the  queen  upon  this  occasion,  setting  forth  in 
quaint,  but  touching  language,  the  continued  kindness  and 
valuable  services  received  by  himself  and  the  colony  at 
large  from  Pocahontas.  He  commended  her  to  his  royal 
mistress,  as  "the  first  Christian  ever  of  that  nation,  the 
first  Virginian  ever  spoke  English,  or  had  a  child  in  mar 
riage  by  an  Englishman,  a  matter  surely  worthy  a  prince's 
un  clerstanding. " 

When  Smith  met  with  his  preserver  at  Branford,  where 
she  was  staying  with  her  husband  after  her  arrival  in  Eng 
land,  his  demeanor  did  not  at  first  satisfy  her.  Etiquette, 
and  the  restraints  of  English  customs,  prevented  him  per 
haps  from  making  such  demonstration  of  affection  as  she 
had  expected  from  her  adopted  father.  "  After  a  modest 
salutation,"  he  says,  "without  any  word,  she  turned  her 
self  about,  obscured  her  face  as  not  seeming  well  con 
tented  ;  and  in  that  humor,  her  husband,  with  divers 
others,  we  all  left  her  two  or  three  hours,  repenting  myself 
to  have  writ  she  could  speak  English." 

This  pique,  or  whatever  emotion  it  may  have  been,  soon 
passed  off,  and  she  began  to  converse  freely  upon  old  times 
and  scenes.  She  said  she  would  always  call  Smith  her 
father,  that  he  should  call  her  child,  and  ever  consider  her 
as  his  "countryman."  It  seems  that  she  had  been  told 
that  he  was  dead,  and  only  learned  the  truth  on  reaching 
England.  Powhatan  had  been  anxious  to  get  intelligence 
of  his  old  rival,  and  specially  commissioned  an  Indian  of 
his  council,  named  Uttomatomakkin,  whom  he  sent  over 


INDIANS   OP   VIRGINIA.  207 

to  England,  to  find  out  Captain  Smith ;  to  see  the  Eng 
lishmen's  God,  their  queen,  and  their  prince ;  and  to 
ascertain  the  number  of  the  country's  inhabitants. 

This  last  direction  he  endeavored  to  perform  by  carrying 
a  stick  with  him,  and  making  a  notch  for  every  man  he 
saw,  "but  he  was  quickly  weary  of  that  task." 

Captain  Argall,  Rolfe,  and  others,  having  been  furnished 
with  an  outfit  for  Virginia,  in  1617,  Pocahontas  (known 
as  Rebecca,  since  her  baptism  and  conversion,)  was  about 
to  revisit  her  native  country,  but  was  taken  suddenly  ill, 
and  died  at  Gravesend.  "  She  made  not  more  sorrow  for 
her  unexpected  death,  than  joy  to  the  beholders  to  hear 
and  see  her  make  so  religious  and  godly  an  end."  She 
left  one  child,  Thomas  Rolfe,  who  afterwards  resided  in 
Virginia,  and  from  whom  many  families  in  that  state  still 
trace  their  origin.  The  celebrated  John  Randolph,  of 
Roanoke,  was  one  of  his  descendants. 

At  Jamestown,  Argall  found  matters  in  a  bad  state. 
Little  was  attended  to  but  the  raising  of  tobacco,  which 
was  seen  growing  in  the  streets  and  market  place.  The 
savages  had  become  bold  and  familiar,  "  as  frequent  in  the 
colonist^'  houses  as  themselves,  whereby  they  were  become 
expert  in  the  English  arms."  They  broke  out,  in  some 
instances,  into  open  murder  and  robbery,  but  the  old  chief 
Opechancanough,  when  redress  was  demanded,  disclaimed 
all  knowledge  of  or  participation  in  the  outrages. 

The  venerable  Powhatan  died  in  April,  of  the  year 
1618,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  second  brother,  Itopatin. 
The  new  king,  as  well  as  the  formidable  Opechancanough, 
seemed  desirous  of  continuing  at  peace  with  the  whites. 
Despite  his  protestations  of  friendship,  and  renewal  of 
solemn  leagues  and  covenants,  the  old  king  of  Pamaunky 
was  still  held  in  sore  surpicion,  and  it  is  plain  that  Indian 
power,  if  roused  against  the  colony,  was  growing  formida 
ble.  The  historian  expresses  his  amazement  "  to  understand 


208  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

how  strangely  the  savages  had  been  taught  the  use  of 
arms,  and  employed  in  hunting  and  fowling  with  our  fowl 
ing  pieces,  and  our  men  rooting  in  the  ground  about 
tobacco  like  swine." 

John  Pory,  secretary  of  the  colony,  undertook  a  settle 
ment  on  the  eastern  shore  in  1621.  Namenacus,  king  of 
Pawtuxent,  visited  him,  and  expressed  his  good  will  in 
style  characteristic  of  Indian  metaphor.  Baring  his  breast, 
says  Pory,  he  asked  "  if  we  saw  any  deformity  upon  it ; 
we  told  him,  No ;  No  more,  said  he,  is  the  inside,  but  as 
sincere  and  pure ;  therefore  come  freely  to  my  country 
and  welcome. "  The  English  were  accompanied  by  Thomas 
Savage  as  interpreter ;  a  youth  who,  sixteen  years  before, 
had  been  left  with  Powhatan  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
the  Indian  language,  and  who  afterwards  proved  of  great 
service  to  the  colony. 

When  the  party  reached  the  dwelling  of  Namenacus 
and  his  brother  Wamanato,  they  were  most  hospitably 
received  and  entertained.  Boiled  oysters  were  set  before 
them  in  a  "brass  kettle  as  bright  without  as  within," 
and  the  alliance  was  cemented  by  exchange  of  presents. 
Wamanato  promised  to  keep  what  he  had  received 
"  whilst  he  lived,  and  bury  them  with  him  being  dead. 
He  much  wondered  at  our  Bible,"  proceeds  Pory,  "  but 
much  more  to  hear  it  was  the  law  of  our  God,  and  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis  expounded  of  Adam  and  Eve, 
and  simple  marriage  ;  to  which  he  replied  he  was  like 
Adam  in  one  thing,  for  he  never  had  but  one  wife  at 
once ;  but  he,  as  all  the  rest,  seemed  more  willing  of  other 
discourses  they  better  understood." 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  209 

CHAPTER    V. 

THE    VIRGINIA    MASSACRES    OF    1622,   AND    OF    1641,  (OR    1644.)  — DEATH 
OF   OPECHANCANOUGH. 

THE  spring  of  1622  was  memorable  for  a  deep-laid  and 
partially  successful  plot,  attributed  in  no  small  measure  to 
the  contrivance  of  Opechancanough,  for  trie  extermination 
of  the  English  colony.  The  settlers  had  come  to  look 
upon  the  Indians  with  a  mixture  of  condescension  and 
contempt ;  they  admitted  them  freely  into  their  houses  ; 
suffered  them  to  acquire  the  use  of  English  weapons  ;  and 
took  little  or  no  precautions  against  an  outbreak.  The 
plantations  and  villages  of  the  whites  were  widely  sepa 
rated  and  ill-protected,  offering  an  easy  opportunity  for  a 
sudden  and  concerted  attack. 

No  suspicions  whatever  were  entertained  of  any  hostile 
intent  upon  the  part  of  the  savages  until  just  before  the 
massacre  commenced,  and  then  there  was  neither  time  nor 
opportunity  to  convey  the  intelligence  to  the  distant  set 
tlements.  The  plot  was  so  arranged  that  upon  a  day 
appointed,  the  22d  of  March,  the  Indians  spread  them 
selves  throughout  the  settlements,  and,  going  into  the 
houses,  or  joining  the  laborers  in  the  field,  on  pretence  of 
trade,  took  the  first  opportunity  to  kill  those  with  whom 
they  were  communicating,  by  a  blow  from  behind. 

No  less  than  three  hundred  and  forty-seven  of  the  Eng 
lish  perished,  the  most  extensive  massacre  at  any  one  spot 
being  that  in  Martin's  Hundred,  only  seven  miles  from 
Jamestown.  The  savages  spared  not  their  best  friends, 
with  whom  they  had  held  amicable  intercourse  for  years, 
but  availed  themselves  of  that  very  intimacy  to  carry  out 
their  bloody  design  with  the  greater  secrecy  and  impu 
nity.  One  only  showed  signs  of  relenting.  "  The  slaugh 
ter  had  been  universal  if  God  had  not  put  it  into  the 


•  210  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

heart  of  an  Indian,  who,  lying  in  the  house  of  one  Pace, 
was  urged  by  another  Indian,  his  brother,  that  lay  with 
him  the  night  before,  to  kill  Pace  as  he  should  do  Perry, 
which  was  his  friend,  being  so  commanded  from  their  king." 

Instead  of  complying,  he  rose,  and  made  known  to  his 
host  the.  plan  of  the  next  day's  attack.  Pace  carried  the 
intelligence  to  Jamestown  with  the  utmost  expedition, 
and  the  caution  was  spread  as  far  as  possible.  Wherever 
the  Indians  saw  the  English  upon  their  guard,  no  attempt 
was  made  upon  them,  even  where  there  was  a  gross  dis 
parity  in  numbers.  One  of  Smith's  old  guard,  Nathaniel 
Causie,  after  receiving  a  severe  wound,  seized  an  axe,  and 
put  those  to  flight  who  had  set  upon  him.  In  another 
instance,  two  men  repelled  the  attack  of  sixty  savages, 
and  a  Mr.  Baldwin,  at  Warraskoyack,  defended  his  house 
and  its  inmates  single  handed,  the  Indians  being  unwilling 
to  stand  his  fire.  Women,  children,  and  unarmed  men  ;  all 
who  could  be  taken  unawares,  were  murdered,  and  their 
bodies  hacked  and  mutilated.  No  tie  of  friendship  or 
former  favor  proved  strong  enough  to  stay  the  hand  of  the 
remorseless  foe.  A  Mr.  Thorp,  who  had  shown  every  kind 
ness  to  the  Indians,  and  especially  to  the  king,  was  one 
of  the  victims,  his  "  dead  corpse  being  abused  with  such 
spite  and  scorn  as  is  unfit  to  be  heard  with  civil  ears." 
He  had  formerly  built  a  convenient  house  for  the  sachem, 
"  after  the  English  fashion,  in  which  he  took  such  pleasure, 
especially  in  the  lock  and  key,  which  he  so  admired  as 
locking  and  unlocking  his  door  a  hundred  times  a  day,  he 
thought  no  device  in  the  world  comparable  to  it." 

It  was  supposed  that  the  motive  which  operated  most 
forcibly  upon  Opechancanough,  in  urging  him  to  these 
enormities,  was  the  death  of  Nemattanow,  one  of  his  favor 
ites,  styled  "  Jack  of  the  Feather,  because  he  commonly 
was  most  strangely  adorned  with  them."  This  Indian  was 
shot,  about  a  fortnight  before  the  massacre,  for  the  mur- 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  211 

der  of  a  man  named  Morgan,  whom  lie  enticed  from  home 
on  pretence  of  trade. 

Little  active  efforts  were  made  to  revenge  the  uprising 
of  the  Indians.  After  the  bloody  day  in  March,  no  gen 
eral  engagement  took  place  between  the  English  and  the 
savages  until  the  ensuing  autumn,  when  an  army  of  three 
hundred  colonists  marched  to  Nandsamund,  and  laid  waste 
the  country. 

The  bitterest  animosity  prevailed  for  many  years  be 
tween  the  rival  claimants  to  the  country  —  the  Indians  and 
the  pale  faces,  who  were  supplanting  them,  insidiously,  or  by 
open  warfare.  The  old  chief,  Opechancanough,  remained 
long  a  thorn  in  the  sides  of  the  colonists  ;  and,  as  late  as 
1641,  nine  years  after  the  conclusion  of  a  settled  peace,  he 
organized  a  conspiracy,  which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of 
even  a  larger  number  of  the  whites  than  fell  in  the  mas 
sacre  of  1622.  The  time  of  the  second  uprising  is  fixed, 
by  some,  three  years  later  than  the  date  above  mentioned. 

After  that  event,  the  war  was  pursued  with  the  energy 
that  the  dangerous  circumstances  of  the  colony  required ; 
and  the  aged  chief,  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
was  carried  captive  to  Jamestown.  Regard  to  his  infirmi 
ties  and  age  restrained  the  authorities  from  showing  him 
indignity  or  unkindness,  but  he  was  shot  by  a  private  sol 
dier,  in  revenge,  as  is  supposed,  for  some  former  injury. 
Although  so  enfeebled  by  the  weight  of  years  as  to  be 
utterly  helpless,  and  unable  even  to  raise  his  eyelids  with 
out  assistance,  the  venerable  chief  still  maintained  his  dig 
nity  and  firmness  ;  and,  just  before  his  death,  rebuked 
Berkley,  the  governor,  for  suffering  his  people  to  crowd 
around  and  gaze  upon  him. 

It  is  said  by  some  historians  that  he  was  not  a  native  of 
Virginia,  but  that  he  was  reputed  among  his  subjects  and 
the  neighboring  tribes,  to  have  been  formerly  a  king  over 
a  nation  far  to  the  south-west. 
13 


212  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

CHAPTER    VI. 

SMITH'S  ACCOUNT   OF   THE  NUMBERS,  APPEARANCE,  AND   HABITS  OF 
THE    INDIANS. 

"*     *     *     To  the  door 
The  red  man  slowly  drags  the  enormous  bear, 
Slain  in  the  chestnut  thicket,  or  flings  down 
The  deer  from  his  strong  shoulders."  —  BRYANT. 

VIRGINIA,  like  every  other  division  of  the  eastern  coast 
of  North  America,  was  but  thinly  inhabited  when  the 
white  settlements  first  commenced.  As  hunting  formed 
the  chief  means  of  subsistence  to  the  natives  during  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  year,  it  was  impracticable  for 
them  to  live  closely  congregated.  There  were  computed 
to  be,  within  sixty  miles  of  the  settlement  of  Jamestown,  some 
five  thousand  Indians,  of  whom  not  quite  one-third  were 
men  serviceable  in  war.  The  lower  portion  of  the  Pow- 
hatan  or  James'  river,  below  the  falls,  passed  through  the 
country  of  the  great  king  and  tribe  who  bore  the  same  name  : 
among  the  mountains  at  its  source  dwelt  the  Monacans. 
The  great  nations  were  subdivided  into  a  number  of  small 
er  tribes,  each  subject  to  its  own  Werowance,  or  king. 

The  stature  and  general  appearance  of  different  races 
among  them  presented  considerable  discrepancy.  Of  the 
Sasquesahanocks,  Smith  says  :  "  Such  great  and  well-pro 
portioned  men  are  seldom  seen,  for  they  seemed  like 
giants  to  the  English.  For  their  language,  it  may  well 
beseem  their  proportions,  sounding  from  them  as  a  voice 
in  a  vault."  One  of  their  chief  Werowances  measured 
three-quarters  of  a  yard  about  the  calf  of  his  leg,  "  and 
all  the  rest  of  his  limbs  so  answerable  to  that  proportion, 
that  he  seemed  the  goodliest  man  we  ever  beheld.  His 
hair,  the  one  side,  was  long,  the  other  shore  close,  with  a 
ridge  like  a  cock's  comb." 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  213 

These  people  were  dressed  in  bear  and  wolf-skins .  "  some 
have  cassacks  made  of  bears5  heads  and  skins,  that  a  man's 
head  goes  through  the  skin's  neck,  and  the  ears  of  the  bear 
fastened  to  his  shoulders,  the  nose  and  teeth  hanging  down 
his  breast,  another  bear's  face  split  behind  him,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  nose  hung  a  paw.  One  had  the  head  of  a  wolf 
hanging  in  a  chain  for  a  jewel ;  his  tobacco  pipe,  three  quar 
ters  of  a  yard  long,  prettily  carved  with  a  bird,  a  deer,  or 
some  such  device,  at  the  great  end,  sufficient  to  beat  out 
one's  brains." 

Farther  to  the  South,  upon  the  Rappahanock,  and  other 
adjacent  rivers,  dwelt  an  inferior  people,  of  small  stature. 
The  Monacans,  Mannahocks,  Sasquesahanocks,  and  other 
tribes,  which  environed  the  Powhatan  country,  were  so 
dissimilar  in  their  language  that  they  could  only  commu 
nicate  by  interpretation. 

The  clothing  of  all  these  Indians  consisted  principally 
of  skins,  dressed  with  or  without  the  hair,  according  to 
the  season.  Occasionally  would  be  seen  a  mantle  neatly 
and  thickly  covered  with  feathers,  so  fastened  as  to  appear 
like  a  natural  growth ;  but  many  of  the  savages  contented 
themselves  with  very  simple  and  primitive  habiliments, 
woven  from  grass  and  leaves.  Tattooing  was  common,  es 
pecially  among  the  women,  and  the  red  powdered  root  of  the 
pocone,  mixed  with  oil  to  the  consistency  of  paint,  served 
to  satisfy  their  barbaric  taste  for  fancifully  coloring  the 
body.  He  was  "  the  most  gallant  who  was  the  most  mon 
strous  to  behold."  Their  ears  were  generally  bored,  and 
pendants  of  copper  and  other  ornaments  were  attached. 
"  Some  of  their  men  wear  in  those  holes  a  small  green 
and  yellow-colored  snake,  near  half  a  yard  in  length, 
which,  crawling  and  lapping  herself  about  his  neck,  often 
times  would  familiarly  kiss  his  lips." 

Their  wigwams  were  much  after  the  usual  fashion,  warm, 
but  smoky,  and  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  planting  grounds 


214  INDIAN   BACES   OP   AMERICA. 

where  they  raised  their  beans,  corn,  and  pompions.  About 
the  dwellings  of  some,  mulberry-trees  were  planted,  and 
fine  groves  of  the  same  grew  naturally  in  various  parts  of 
the  country.  The  English  made  an  attempt  to  raise  silk 
here,  "  and  surely  the  worms  prospered  excellent  well  till 
the  master-workman  fell  sick.  Daring  which  time  they 
were  eaten  with  rats."  To  effect  a  clearing,  the  custom 
of  the  natives  was  to  girdle  the  trees  by  bruising  and  burn 
ing  the  bark  near  the  root ;  and,  in  the  ensuing  year,  the 
soil  was  rudely  loosened  for  the  reception  of  the  seed. 

During  a  great  part  of  the  year  they  were  obliged  to 
resort  to  the  natural  productions  of  the  forest,  sea,  and 
rivers  for  their  support ;  and,  as  their  diet  varied  with  the 
season,  "  even  as  the  deer  and  wild  beasts,  they  seemed 
fat  arid  lean,  strong  and  weak."  In  the  spring  they  re 
lied  chiefly  upon  fish  and  small  game  ;  in  summer,  before 
the  green  corn  was  ready  for  use,  they  were  obliged  to  eke 
out  a  subsistence  with  roots,  acorns,  and  shell-fish.  Some 
species  of  acorns,  besides  being  useful  as  food,  furnished  an 
oil  with  which  the  natives  anointed  their  heads  and  joints. 

Smith  enumerates  many  of  the  wild  fruits  and  game 
which  were  sought  by  the  Indians,  describing  them  in 
quaint  and  forcible  language.  It  is  singular  to  observe 
how  the  original  Indian  names  of  plants  and  animals  have 
been  altered  and  corrupted  on  their  adoption  by  the  Eng 
lish.  All  will  recognize  the  "  putchamin,"  whose  "  fruit  is 
like  a  medlar ;  it  is  first  green,  then  yellow,  then  red, 
when  it  is  ripe  ;  if  it  be  not  ripe,  it  will  draw  a  man's 
mouth  awry,  with  much  torment."  Broth  or  bread  made 
from  the  "  chechinquamin,"  (cliincopin,)  was  considered  a 
great  dainty. 

With  a  slight  change  of  orthography,  the  "  aroughcun, 
a  beast  much  like  a  badger,  but  which  useth  to  live  on 
trees,  as  squirrels  do,"  becomes  familiar,  as  do  also  the 
"  opassum  "  and  "  mussascus." 


INDIANS   OF   VIRGINIA.  215 

Among  the  fish,  a  kind  of  ray  attracted  the  worthy  cap 
tain's  special  admiration,  being  "  so  like  the  picture  of  St. 
George  his  dragon  as  possible  can  be,  except  his  legs  and 
wings." 

The  Indians  fished  with  nets,  woven  with  no  little  skill ; 
with  hooks  of  bone  ;  with  the  spear  ;  and  with  arrows 
attached  to  lines.  For  other  game,  the  principal  weapon 
was  the  bow  and  arrow.  The  arrows  were  generally 
headed  with  bone  or  flint,  but  sometimes  with  the  spur 
of  a  turkey  or  a  bird's  bill.  It  is  astonishing  how  the  stone 
arrow-heads,  which  are,  to  this  day,  found  scattered  over 
our  whole  country,  could  have  been  shaped,  or  attached 
to  the  reed  with  any  degree  of  firmness.  Smith  says  that 
a  small  bone  was  worn  constantly  at  the  "  bracert "  for  the 
purpose  of  manufacturing  them,  —  probably  to  hold  the 
flint  while  it  was  chipped  into  shape  by  another  stone,  — 
and  that  a  strong  glue,  obtained  by  boiling  deer's  horns 
and  sinews,  served  to  fasten  them  securely.  Very  soon 
after  intercourse  with  Europeans  commenced,  these  rude 
implements  were  superseded  by  those  of  iron. 

Deer  were  hunted  with  most  effect  by  driving  in  large 
companies,  dispersed  through  the  woods.  When  a  single 
hunter  undertook  the  pursuit,  it  was  usual  for  him  to  dis 
guise  himself  in  the  skin  of  a  deer,  thrusting  his  arm 
through  the  neck  into  the  head,  which  was  so  stuffed  as 
to  resemble  that  of  the  living  animal.  Thus  accoutred,  he 
would  gradually  approach  his  prey,  imitating  the  motions 
of  a  deer  as  nearly  as  possible,  stopping  occasionally,  and 
appearing  to  be  occupied  in  licking  his  body,  until  near 
enough  for  a  shot. 

In  war  these  Indians  pursued  much  the  same  course  as 
the  other  eastern  nations.  On  one  occasion,  at  Mattapa- 
nient,  they  entertained  Smith  and  his  companions  with  a 
sham  fight,  one  division  taking  the  part  of  Monacans,  and 
the  other  of  Powhatans.  After  the  first  discharge  of 


216  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

arrows,  he  says,  "  they  gave  such  horrible  shouts  and 
screeches  as  so  many  infernal  hell-hounds  could  not  have 
made  them  more  terrible."  During  the  whole  perform 
ance,  "  their  actions,  voices,  and  gestures,  were  so  strained 
to  the  height  of  their  quality  and  nature,  that  the  strange 
ness  thereof  made  it  seem  very  delightful."  Their  martial 
music  consisted  of  the  discordant  sounds  produced  by  rude 
drums  and  rattles. 


NEW  ENGLAND   INDIANS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

CONDUCT  OF  EARLY  VOYAGERS.  — ARRIVAL  OF  THE  MAY-FLOWER — 
SAMOSET.  —  TISQUANTUM.  _  MASSASOIT.  —  WESTON'S  COLONY.  - 
CAUNBITANT'S  CONSPIRACY.  —  TRADE  IN  FIRE-ARMS.  ^  THOMAS 
MORTON.  — DEATH  OF  MASSASOIT  AND  ALEXANDER,  AND  ACCES 
SION  OF  PHILIP. 

"  Erewhile,  where  yon  gay  spires  their  brightness  rear, 
Trees  waved,  and  the  brown  hunter's  shouts  were  loud 
Amid  the  forest ;  and  the  bounding  deer 
Fled  at  the  glancing  plume,  and  the  gaunt  wolf  yelled  near." 

BRYANT. 

IT  is  lamentable  to  reflect  that  in  the  primitive  dealings 
between  the  venturous  Europeans  and  aborigines  of  Amer 
ica,  the  kindly  welcome  and  the  hospitable  reception  were 
the  part  of  the  savage,  and  treachery,  kidnapping,  and 
murder  too  frequently  that  of  the  civilized  and  nominally 
Christian  visitor. 

It  appears  to  have  been  matter  of  common  custom 
among  these  unscrupulous  adventurers  to  seize  by  force 
or  fraud  on  the  persons  of  their  simple  entertainers,  and 
to  carry  them  off  as  curiosities  to  the  distant  shores  of 
Europe.  Columbus,  with  kindly  motives,  brought  several 
of  the  West  Indian  natives  to  the  Spanish  court ;  —  others, 
whom  his  follower  Pinzon  had  kidnapped,  he  restored 
to  their  friends.  Cabot,  in  his  memorable  expedition, 
followed  the  same  example,  and  the  early  French  discov- 

(217) 


218  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

erers  were  peculiarly  culpable  in  this  respect.  Most  atro 
cious  of  all  was  the  conduct  of  Thomas  Hunt,  who,  in 
1614,  at  Monhigon,  enticed  twenty-four  of  these  unfor 
tunate  people  on  board  his  vessel,  and  carried  them  to 
Malaga,  as  slaves  —  an  inhuman  piece  of  treachery,  to 
which  the  English  were  probably  indebted  for  much  of 
the  subsequent  hostilities  evinced  by  the  Indians  of  New 
England. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1620,  the  May-Flower,  freight 
ed  with  forty-one  adventurous  enthusiasts,  the  germ  of  a 
western  empire,  sailed  from  Plymouth,  in  England  ;  and 
on  the  9th  of  the  following  November  arrived  on  the 
baixen  and  inclement  shores  of  Cape  Cod.  A  few  days 
afterwards  a  reconnoitring  party  caught  sight  of  a  small 
number  of  the  natives,  who,  however,  fled  at  their  ap 
proach.  On  the  8th  of  December  a  slight  and  desultory 
action  occurred,  the  Indians  attempting  to  surprise  the 
Pilgrims  by  night.  They  were,  however,  discomfited,  and 
compelled  to  retreat,  leaving,  among  other  trophies,  eigh 
teen  arrows, ."  headed  with  brass,  some  with  harts'  horns, 
and  others  with  eagles'  claws." 

On  the  llth  of  December  (O.  S.),  memorable  in  the 
annals  of  America,  the  little  band  of  Pilgrims  landed,  and 
fixed  their  first  settlement  at  Plymouth.  The  Indians,  it 
would  appear,  looked  with  evil  eyes  upon  the  pious  colo 
nists  ;  for,  says  an  old  narrator,  "  they  got  all  the  powwows 
in  the  country,  who,  for  three  days  together,  in  a  horrid 
and  devilish  manner,  did  curse  and  execrate  them  with 
their  conjurations,  which  assembly  and  service  they  held 
in  a  dark  and  dismal  swamp.  Behold  how  Satan  labored 
to  hinder  the  gospel  from  coming  into  New  England." 

The  appearance  of  the  friendly  chief  Samoset,  at  the 
settlement ;  his  welcome  in  broken  English ;  his  manners 
and  discourse,  are  quaintly  detailed  by  the  historians  of 
the  colony.  He  had  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 


OF    SJMOSET     WITH     THE     PILGRIMS. 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS. 


221 


English  language  by  intercourse  with  the  crews  and  mas 
ters  of  vessels  employed  in  fishing  upon  the  coast,  and 
readily  communicated  such  information  as  the  settlers  re 
quired  concerning  the  nature  of  the  country  and  its  inhab 
itants.  He  informed  them  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
district  where  they  were  located  had  been  depopulated  only 
four  years  previous,  by  some  incurable  disease ;  a  circum 
stance  to  which  the  feeble  colony  not  improbably  owed  its 
preservation. 

Before  the  bold  and  friendly  advances  made  by  Samoset, 
the  only  communication  between  the  colonists  and  the 
original  inhabitants  had  been  of  a  hostile  character.  The 
natural  fears  and  jealousy  of  the  savages,  and  the  supersti 
tious  horror  of  the  English  at  the  heathenish  powwaws 
and  incantations  which  they  witnessed,  together  with  the 
want  of  a  common  language,  had  kept  the  little  company  of 
adventurers  in  a  state  of  complete  isolation  during  the  whole 
of  the  cold  and  dreary  winter  that  succeeded  their  arrival. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  March  that  a  peaceful  communi 
cation  was  established  with  the  natives,  through  the  inter 
vention  of  Samoset.  He  introduced,  among  other  of  his 
companions,  the  noted  Tisquantum,  or  Squanto,  who  was 
one  of  the  twenty-four  kidnapped  by  Hunt,  at  a  former 
period.  By  his  knowledge  of  the  country  and  coast,  and 
his  acquaintance  with  their  language,  Squanto  became  of 
great  service  to  the  colonists,  and  continued  their  friend 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1622,  while  he  was 
on  his  passage  down  the  coast,  in  the  capacity  of  pilot  to 
an  expedition  fitted  out  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
supplies  of  corn  and  other  necessaries.  Much  of  romantic 
interest  attaches  to  the  history  and  adventures  of  this  ser 
viceable  Indian,  both  during  his  captivity  and  after  his 
restoration  to  his  own  country.  Escaping  by  the  as 
sistance  of  certain  kindly-disposed  monks,  from  Spain, 
where  he,  with  his  companions,  had  been  sold  in  slavery, 


222  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

he  reached  England,  and  was  taken  into  the  employment 
of  a  London  merchant,  named  Slaney,  by  whom  he  was 
sent  as  pilot,  or  in  some  other  capacity,  to  various  places 
on  the  eastern  coast. 

He  was  brought  back  to  Patuxet,  the  Indian  name  of 
the  country  in  which  the  pilgrims  first  landed,  by  Captain 
Thomas  Dermer,  who  sailed  in  the  employ  of  Sir  Ferdi- 
nando  Gorges,  during  the  summer  preceding  the  arrival 
of  the  May-Flower.  After  his  introduction  by  Samoset, 
he  remained  with  his  new  allies,  instructing  them  in  the 
mode  of  raising  corn,  to  which  they  were  strangers  ;  in  the 
best  methods  of  fishing ;  and  making  himself  of  inestima 
ble  service. 

By  the  friendly  influence  of  Squanto  and  Samoset,  who 
acted  as  interpreters,  a  league  of  amity  and  mutual  protec 
tion  was  effected  between  the  colony  and  the  powerful 
sachem  Massasoit,  father  of  the  still  more  celebrated  Philip. 
Massasoit's  head-quarters  were  at  Mount  Hope,  on  Narra- 
gansett  bay,  overlooking  the  present  town  of  Bristol ;  a 
striking  feature  in  a  landscape  of  remarkable  beauty,  and 
commanding  from  its  summit  a  magnificent  prospect  of 
island,  bay  and  ocean.  His  authority  extended  over  all 
the  Indian  tribes  living  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Plymouth 
colony,  and  he  held  an  uncertain  but  influential  sway  over 
portions  of  other  nations  far  into  the  interior. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1621,  some  of  the  principal  in 
habitants  of  the  settlement,  among  others,  Edward  Wins- 
low  and  Stephen  Hopkins,  went  on  an  embassy  to  the  court 
of  this  chief,  as  well  to  observe  his  power  and  resources 
as  to  renew  the  amicable  treaties  before  entered  into.  They 
carried  such  attractive  ornaments  and  apparel  as  would 
please  the  eye  of  a  savage. 

They  were  accompanied  by  Squanto ;  and  although  their 
entertainment,  both  as  respects  food  and  lodgings,  was  but 
sorry,  yet  they  were  received  in  a  spirit  of  friendliness. 


NEW    ENGLAND   INDIANS.  223 

They  obtained  much  useful  information  concerning  the  sur 
rounding  tribes,  and  also  learned  the  power  and  numbers 
of  the  Narragansetts. 

The  ship  Fortune  arrived  at  Plymouth,  in  the  month  of 
November,  bringing  out  thirty -five  emigrants  ;  but  no  pro 
visions  for  their  support  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  the 
colony  was  not  long  after  greatly  distressed  by  want.  To 
add  to  their  troubles  and  fears,  the  Narragansetts  sent 
them  a  hostile  message,  expressed  by  a  bundle  of  arrows 
tied  with  a  snake  skin.  The  skin  was  returned  filled  with 
bullets,  and  the  governor  made  the  spirited  reply — "that, 
if  they  loved  war  rather  than  peace,  they  might  begin  when 
they  would." 

The  houses  were  thenceforth  enclosed  in  palings,  and 
every  precaution  was  taken,  by  watch  and  ward,  to  guard 
against  a  sudden  attack. 

During  the  ensuing  year,  1622,  two  ships  were  sent  over 
from  England  by  a  Mr.  Thomas  Weston,  with  a  consider 
able  number  of  colonists ;  in  one  of  them  came  "  sixty  lusty 
men."  A  new  settlement  was  formed  by  them  at  Wesagus- 
quaset,  on  Massachusetts  Bay,  known  as  Weston's  colony. 

The  dishonesty  and  wastefulness  of  these  new  comers 
produced  very  injurious  effects  upon  the  welfare  of  the  col 
ony  at  large.  The  hostility  of  the  Indians  was  excited 
by  their  depredations,  and,  if  we  may  believe  the  old  nar 
rations,  they  were  even  base  enough  to  circulate  among  the 
natives  false  reports  of  an  intention  on  the  part  of  the 
Plymouth  authorities  to  attack  them,  and  forcibly  seize  their 
corn  and  provisions,  the  time  being  one  of  great  scarcity. 

Weston's  men  were  in  possession  of  a  small  vessel,  in 
which  they  proposed  to  their  Plymouth  neighbors  to  un 
dertake  an  expedition  round  Cape  Cod,  for  the  purpose  of 
trading  for  supplies  from  the  natives.  After  two  unsuccess 
ful  attempts,  having  been  delayed  by  rough  weather,  they 
succeeded  in  reaching  Nauset  and  Mattachiest,  where  they 


2:24  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

obtained  a  quantity  of  corn  and  beans.  It  was  on  this 
voyage  that  they  lost  their  guide  and  interpreter  Squanto. 
He  had  been  a  highly  useful  and  faithful  coadjutor  to  the 
colonists  ;  his  only  faults  being  a  natural  inclination  to  pre 
sume  upon  his  importance  in  his  intercourse  with  his  coun 
trymen.  This  led  him  to  exalt  himself  in  their  eyes  by 
tales  of  his  great  influence  over  the  English,  and  exagge 
rated  reports  of  their  powers  and  skill.  He  affirmed  that 
they  had  the  plague  buried  in  the  ground,  which  they 
could,  at  pleasure,  let  loose  for  the  destruction  of  the  In 
dians.  On  one  occasion  he  was  believed,  for  some  purpose 
of  his  own,  to  have  raised  a  false  alarm  of  an  attack  by  the 
Narragansetts,  accompanied  by  Massasoifc.  This  sachem 
became  at  last  so  exasperated  against  Squanto,  that,  on  di 
vers  occasions,  he  sought  to  put  him  to  death,  and  the  colo 
nists  had  no  small  difficulty  in  preserving  their  interpreter. 

Great  rivalry  and  jealousy  existed  between  Squanto  and 
Hobamak,  another  friendly  Indian,  who  served  the  settlers 
in  a  similar  capacity. 

In  the  year  1623,  the  people  at  Weston's  plantation, 
principally,  as  appears,  from  their  own  folly  and  improvi 
dence,  were  reduced  to  a  state  of  extreme  misery  and  des 
titution.  They  became  scattered  in  small  parties,  obtaining 
a  precarious  subsistence  by  gathering  shell-fish,  and  by 
working  for  or  pilfering  from  the  natives.  On  one  occa 
sion  they  actually  hanged  a  man  for  stealing,  in  order  to 
pacify  the  Indians  ;  and  although  it  appears  probable  that 
he  whom  they  executed  was,  in  reality,  guilty,  yet  they 
have  been  accused  of  sparing  the  principal  offender,  as  an 
able-bodied  and  serviceable  member  of  the  community, 
and  hanging,  in  his  stead,  an  old  and  decrepit  weaver. 
See  "  Hudibras  "  upon  this  point. 

An  extensive  conspiracy  was  formed  among  various 
tribes  of  the  Massachusetts  Indians,  and  others,  extending, 
as  some  supposed,  even  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  island 


.1  j\'  T  U  M ,     G  K     S  Q  C.-i  .Y  V  ( ' , 
THE  at'ipE   ANP   ir.'rr.RrnKTKR   »t    nip.   nci.it.Ms 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS. 


997 


of  Capewack,  or  Martha's  Vineyard,  for  the  purpose  of 
destroying  Weston's  colony,  and  perhaps  that  at  Plymouth 
also.  Caunbitant,  or  Corbitant,  one  of  Massasoit's  most 
distinguished  subordinate  chiefs,  was  a  prime  mover  in  this 
plot.  He  had  always  entertained  hostile  feelings  towards 
the  English,  and  regarded  their  increase  and  prosperity  as 
of  fatal  tendency  to  the  welfare  of  his  own  people.  The 
design  was  made  known  to  some  of  the  chief  men  of  Plym 
outh,  by  Massasoit,  (whom  the  leaders  of  the  conspiracy 
had  endeavored  to  draw  into  their  plans,)  in  gratitude  for 
their  having  restored  him  from  a  dangerous  fit  of  sickness. 
Having  been,  as  he  supposed,  at  the  point  of  death,  he 
sent  for  assistance  to  the  colony,  and  Mr.  Edward  Wins- 
loy  and  John  Hamden,  (supposed  by  some  writers  to  have 
been  the  same  afterwards  so  celebrated  in  English  history 
for  his  resistance  to  royal  encroachments)  with  Hobamak 
as  interpreter,  were  despatched  to  his  assistance. 

In  order  to  check  the  purposed  uprising,  Captain  Miles 
Standish,  with  only  eight  men,  proceeded  to  Wesagusqua- 
set,  and  attacking  the  Indians,  in  conjunction  with  Weston's 
men,  overpowered  them,  killing  six  of  their  number ; 
among  the  rest,  the  noted  and  dangerous  Wittuwamat. 
This  chief  had  displayed  great  boldness  and  spirit.  On 
the  arrival  of  Standish,  he,  with  others  of  his  company, 
declared  that  he  was  in  .no  wise  ignorant  of  the  English 
man's  intentions.  "  '  Tell  Standish,'  said  he,  (  we  know 
he  is  come  to  kill  us,  but  let  him  begin  when  he  dare.' 
Not  long  after,  many  would  come  to  the  fort,  and  whet 
their  knives  before  him,  with  many  braving  speeches.  One 
amongst  the  rest  was  by  Wittuwamat's  bragging  he  had  a 
knife  that  on  the  handle  had  a  woman's  face,  but  at  home 
I  have  one  that  hath  killed  both  French  and  English,  and 
that  hath  a  man's  face  upon  it,  and  by  and  by  these  two 
must  marry  ;  but  this  here  by  and  by  shall  see,  and  by 
and  by  eat  but  not  speak."  Of  the  manner  of  this  In- 


228  INDIAN    RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

dian's  death,  and  that  of  Peksuot,  one  of  his  principal  com 
panions,  killed  by  Standish  himself  in  a  desperate  hand  to 
hand  struggle,  Winslow  says :  "  But  it  is  incredible  how 
many  wounds  these  two  panieses  received  before  they  died, 
not  making  any  fearful  noise,  but  catching  at  their  weap 
ons  and  striving  to  the  last."  Wittuwamat  had  often  ex 
pressed  great  contempt  of  the  English  for  their  want  of 
fortitude,  declaring  that  "  they  died  crying,  making  sour 
faces,  more  like  children  than  men."  A  brother  of  this 
chief,  only  eighteen  years  of  age,  they  hanged. 

The  Weston  plantation  was,  however,  broken  up,  the 
survivors,  much  reduced  in  numbers  by  sickness  and  want, 
setting  sail  in  their  vessel  for  the  eastward,  to  join  the 
•fishing  squadron  on  the  coast  :  as  the  old  historian  has  it, 
"  here  see  the  effects  of  pride  and  vain-glory."  Thomas 
Weston  himself,  after  a  singular  series  of  misfortunes, 
only  arrived  at  Plymouth  to  learn  the  disastrous  fate  of  his 
colony. 

The  system  of  working  the  land  in  common  was  this 
year  abandoned  by  the  Plymouth  colonists,  and  a  portion 
of  land  set  apart  to  each  man  ;  a  change  which  produced 
the  most  favorable  results. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  years  from  the  formation  of  the 
Plymouth  colony,  the  Indians,  in  spite  of  a  royal  procla 
mation  forbidding  the  traffic,  began  to  supply  themselves 
with  firearms  and  ammunition,  the  use  of  which  they  ac 
quired  with  singular  facility.  The  trade  for  these  danger 
ous  articles  first  commenced  upon  the  eastern  coast,  where 
they  were  brought  by  English,  French  and  Dutch  fishing 
vessels,  and  was  further  extended  into  the  interior  in  1628, 
by  one  Thomas  Morton,  a  notable  contemner  of  godliness, 
and  long  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the  sober  colonists.  Besides 
his  capital  offence  of  teaching  the  Indians  the  use  of  fire 
arms,  and  driving  a  profitable  trade  with  them  in  these 
deadly  weapons,  he  became,  as  Morton  has  it,  "a. lord  of 


NEW  ENGLAND  INDIANS.  229 

misrule,"  with  a  set  of  disorderly  companions  who  had 
been  brought  out  in  the  same  ship  with  him.  They  spent 
what  they  gained  by  unlawful  trade  in  "  vainly  quaffing 
and  drinking  both  wine  and  strong  liquors  to  great  excess 
—  setting  up  a  May-pole,  drinking  and  dancing  about  it, 
and  frisking  about  it  like  so  many  fairies,  or  furies  rather." 
This  May-pole  was  cut  down  by  Endicott,  and  Morton 
was  seized  and  sent  to  England,  where  he  wrote  an  "  in 
famous  and  scurrilous  book  '  (The  New  Canaan),'  against 
many  godly  and  chief  men  of  the  country."  In  1633,  a 
year  memorable  for  the  first  English  settlement  on  the 
Connecticut,  by  William  Holmes,  in  spite  of  the  opposi 
tion  of  the  Dutch,  a  "  pestilent  fever  "  carried  off  many, 
both  of  the  colonists  and  Indians  thereabout. 

Morton,  in  his  "  New  England's  Memorial,"  says  that 
"  It  is  to  be  observed  that,  the  spring  before  this  sickness, 
there  was  a  numerous  company  of  flies,  which  were  like, 
for  bigness,  unto  wasps  or  bumble-bees  ;  they  came  out  of 
little  holes  in  the  ground,  and  did  eat  up  the  green  things, 
and  made  such  a  constant  yelling  noise  as  made  the  woods 
ring  of  them,  and  ready  to  deafen  the  hearers."  The  In 
dians  prophesied  sickness  from  this  sign. 

No  very  serious  hostilities  occurred  between  the  Plym 
outh  colonists  and  the  natives,  from  the  period  of  which 
we  have  been  speaking,  until  the  year  1637,  memorable 
for  the  extirpation  of  the  Pequots.  The  causes  and  con 
duct  of  this  campaign,  marked  as  it  was  by  the  most  sav 
age  ferocity  on  the  part  of  both  Indians  and  English,  will 
be  detailed  in  a  succeeding  chapter. 

In  the  year  1639,  Massasoit,  or,  as  he  is  generally  styled 
at  this  period,  Woosamequen,  brought  his  eldest  son  Mooa- 
nam,  otherwise  called  Wamsutta,  to  the  court  at  Plymouth, 
and  solemnly  renewed  the  former  league  of  peace  and 
amity  with  the  colony. 


230  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

After  the  death  of  the  friendly  and  powerful  sachem, 
his  sons  Wamsutta  and  Metacomet  continued  their  profes 
sion  of  good-will  towards  the  English.  About  1656,  they 
presented  themselves  to  the  court  at  Plymouth,  and,  by 
their  own  request,  received  English  names.  Wamsutta 
was  denominated  Alexander,  and  Metacomet,  Philip,  long 
after  a  name  of  terror  to  the  colonies. 

In  1662,  Alexander,  having  been  suspected  of  being 
engaged  with  the  Narragansetts  in  plans  hostile  to  the 
English  settlers,  was  taken  by  surprise,  and  forcibly  car 
ried  to  Plymouth.  This  indignity  is  said  so  to  have  chafed 
his  proud  spirit,  that  it  threw  him  into  a  fever,  of  which 
he  died  shortly  after.  Contradictory  reports  have  been 
handed  down  to  us  concerning  the  manner  of  his  treatment 
during  this  brief  captivity,  and  the  circumstances  attending 
his  death. 

Shortly  after  this  event,  Philip,  now  sachem  of  Pocanoket, 
came  to  the  court  at  Plymouth,  with  renewed  acknowl 
edgments  of  subjection  to  the  king  of  England,  and  prom 
ises  to  fulfil  all  engagements  theretofore  entered  into  by 
himself,  his  father,  and  brother.  He  covenanted,  more 
over,  not  to  sell  any  of  his  lands  to  strangers  without  the 
knowledge  and  consent  of  the  authorities  at  Plymouth. 


T  H  K     COLO  JV  I  STS     GDI  A"  G     T  O     C  II  U  li  C  H     .1  II  M  K  D 

ClURlNU   THE   PF.Rinp  OF   THE   EARLY    IMMAN    WAKS. 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  233 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  NARRAGANSETTS.  —  THE  PEdUOTS.  —  MURDER  OP  STONE  AND 
OLDHAM.  —  ENDICOTT'S  EXPEDITION.  —  THE  PEQ.UOT  WAR.  — DE 
STRUCTION  OF  THE  PEQUOT  FORT.  — THE  TRIBE  DISPERSED  AND 
SUBDUED. 

"  Dark  as  the  frost-nipped  leaves  that  strew  the  ground, 
The  Indian  hunter  here  his  shelter  found ; 
Here  cut  his  bovvs  and  shaped  his  arrows  true, 
Here  built  his  wigwam  and  his  bark  canoe, 
Speared  the  quick  salmon  leaping  up  the  fall, 
And  slew  the  deer  without  the  rifle  ball ; 
Here  his  young  squaw  her  cradling-tree  would  choose, 
Singing  her  chant  to  hush  her  swart  pappoose  ; 
Here  stain  her  quills,  and  string  her  trinkets  rude, 
And  weave  her  warrior's  wampum  in  the  wood." 

BRAINARD. 

THE  islands  and  western  shores  of  the  beautiful  bay 
which  still  bears  their  name  were,  at  the  time  of  the  first 
European  settlement,  in  the  possession  of  the  great  and 
powerful  tribe  of  the  Narragansetts.  Their  dominions 
extended  thirty  or  forty  miles  to  the  westward,  as  far  as 
the  country  of  the  Pequots,  from  whom  they  were  sepa 
rated  by  the  Pawcatuck  river. 

Their  chief  sachem  was  the  venerable  Canonicus,  who 
governed  the  tribe,  with  the  assistance  and  support  of  his 
nephew  Miantonimo.  The  celebrated  Roger  Williams,  the 
founder  of  the  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  plantations, 
always  noted  for  his  kindness,  justice,  and  impartiality 
towards  the  natives,  was  high  in  favor  with  the  old  chief, 
and  exercised  an  influence  over  him,  without  which  his 
power  might  have  been  fatally  turned  against  the  English. 
Canonicus,  he  informs  us,  loved  him  as  a  son  to  the  day 
of  his  death. 

Mr.  Williams  had  been  obliged  to  leave  the  colony  at 
14 


234  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  eastward,  in  consequence  of  his  religious  opinions, 
which  did  not  coincide  with  those  so  strictly  interwoven 
with  the  government  and  policy  of  the  Puritans.  He  was 
a  man  of  whose  enterprise  and  wisdom  the  state  which  he 
first  settled  is  justly  proud,  and  whose  liberal  and  mag 
nanimous  disposition  stands  out  in  striking  relief  when 
compared  with  the  intolerant  and  narrow-minded  prejudices 
of  his  contemporaries. 

Miantonimo  is  described  as  a  warrior  of  a  tall  and 
commanding  appearance  ;  proud  and  magnanimous  ;  "  sub 
tile  and  cunning  in  his  contrivements  ;  "  and  of  undaunted 
courage. 

The  Pequots  and  Mohegans,  who  formed  but  one  tribe, 
and  were  governed  during  the  early  peripd  of  English 
colonization  by  one  sachem,  appear  to  have  emigrated 
from  the  west  not  very  long  before  the  first  landing  of 
Europeans  on  these  shores.  They  were  entirely  discon 
nected  with  the  surrounding  tribes,  with  whom  they  were 
engaged  in  continual  hostilities,  and  were  said  to  have 
reached  the  country  they  then  inhabited  from  the  north. 
They  probably  formed  a  portion  of  the  Mohican  or  Mohe- 
gan  nation  on  the  Hudson,  and  arrived  at  the  sea-coast  by 
a  circuitous  route,  moving  onward  in  search  of  better  hunt 
ing  grounds,  or  desirous  of  the  facilities  for  procuring  sup 
port  offered  by  the  productions  of  the  sea. 

In  various  warlike  incursions  they  had  gained  a  partial 
possession  of  extensive  districts  upon  the  Connecticut 
river,  and  from  them  the  early  Dutch  settlers  purchased 
the  title  to  the  lands  they  occupied  in  that  region. 

In  the  year  1634,  one  Captain  Stone,  a  trader  from  Vir 
ginia,  of  whom  the  early  narrators  give  rather  an  evil  report, 
having  put  into  the  Connecticut  river  in  a  small  vessr-1,  was 
killed,  together  with  his  whole  crew,  by  a  party  of  Indians 
whom  he  had  suffered  to  remain  on  board  his  vessel. 

Two  years  later,  a  Mr.  John  Oldham  was  murdered  at 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  235 

Block  Island,  (called  Manisses  in  the  Indian  tongue,)  by  a 
bpdy  of  natives.  They  were  discovered  in  possession  of 
the  vessel,  and  endeavoring  to  make  their  escape,  were 
most  of  them  drowned. 

The  Narragansetts  and  Pequots  both  denied  having 
participated  in  this  last  outrage,  and,  as  respects  Stone  and 
his  companions,  although  the  Pequots  afterwards  acknowl 
edged  that  some  of  their  people  were  the  guilty  parties, 
yet  they  averred  that  it  was  done  in  retaliation  for  the 
murder  of  one  of  their  own  sachems  by  the  Dutch,  deny 
ing  that  they  knew  any  distinction  between  the  Dutch  and 
English. 

To  revenge  the  death  of  Oldham,  an  expedition  was 
fitted  out  from  Massachusetts,  with  the  avowed  determina 
tion  of  destroying  all  the  male  inhabitants  of  Block  Island, 
and  of  enforcing  heavy  tribute  from  the  Pequots.  Those 
engaged  in  the  undertaking,  under  the  command  of  Endi- 
cott,  landed  on  the  island,  ravaged  the  corn-fields,  and 
burned  the  wigwams  of  the  inhabitants ;  but  the  islanders 
succeeded  in  concealing  themselves  in  the  thickets,  so  that 
few  were  killed.  Endicott  thence  proceeded  to  the  Pequot 
country,  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  Gardiner, 
commander  of  the  garrison  at  Saybrook,  who  told  him  that 
the  consequence  would  only  be  to  "  raise  a  hornet's  nest- 
about  their  ears." 

Disembarking  near  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  the  ad 
venturers  were  surrounded  by  a  large  body  of  savages, 
mostly  unarmed,  who  questioned  them  of  their  purposes 
with  much  surprise  and  curiosity.  The  English  demanded 
the  murderers,  whom  they  alleged  to  be  harbored  there, 
or  their  heads.  The  Indians  replied  that  their  chief  sa-. 
chem,  Sassacus,  was  absent,  and  sent  or  pretended  to  send 
parties  in  search  of  the  persons  demanded.  Endicott,  im 
patient  of  delay,  and  suspecting  deceit,  drove  them  off, 
after  a  slight  skirmish,  and  proceeded  to.  lay  waste  their 


.236  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

corn-fields  and  wigwams,  destroying  their  canoes  and  doing 
them  incalculable  mischief. 

The  same  operations  were  carried  on  the  next  day,  upon 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  after  which  the  party  set 
sail  for  home. 

The  effect  of  procedures  like  these,  was  such  as  might 
have  been  expected.  The  hostility  of  the  Pequots  towards 
the  whites  was  from  this  period  implacable. 

For  several  years  the  tribe  had  been  engaged  in  a  desul 
tory  war  with  the  Narragaiisetts,  arising  from  a  quarrel, 
in  1632,  respecting  the  boundary  of  their  respective  do 
mains.  Sassacus  at  once  perceived  the  necessity  or  policy 
of  healing  this  breach,  and  procuring  the  assistance  of  his 
powerful  neighbors  in  the  anticipated  struggle.  He  there 
fore  sent  ambassadors  to  Canonicus,  charged  with  proposals 
of  treaty,  and  of  union  against  the  usurping  English. 

A  grand  council  of  the  Narragansett  sachems  was  called, 
and  the  messengers,  according  to  Morton,  "  used  many 
pernicious  arguments  to  move  them  thereunto,  as  that  the 
English  were  strangers,  and  began  to  overspread  their 
country,  and  would  deprive  them  thereof  in  time,  if  they 
were  suffered  to  grow  and  increase ;  "  that  they  need  not 
"  come  to  open  battle  with  them,  but  fire  their  houses,  kill 
their  cattle,  and  lie  in  ambush  for  them,"  all  with  little 
danger  to  themselves. 

The  Narragansetts  hesitated,  and  would  not  improbably 
have  acceded  to  the  proposals  but  for  the  intervention  and 
persuasion  of  theii  friend  Roger  Williams.  His  influence, 
combined  with  the  hope,  so  dear  to  an  Indian  heart,  of 
being  revenged  upon  their  old  adversaries,  finally  pre 
vailed.  Miantonimo,  with  a  number  of  other  chiefs  and 
warriors,  proceeded  to  Boston ;  was  received  with  much 
parade  ;  and  concluded  a  treaty  of  firm  alliance  with  the 
English,  stipulating  not  to  make  peace  with  the  Pequots, 
without  their  absent. 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  237 

Meantime,  during  this  same  year  (1637),  the  Pequots 
had  commenced  hostilities  by  attacking  the  settlers  on  the 
Connecticut.  They  lay  concealed  about  the  fort  at  Say- 
brook,  ready  to  seize  any  of  the  little  garrison  who  should 
be  found  without  the  walls. 

In  several  instances  they  succeeded  in  making  captives, 
whom  they  tortured  to  death  with  their  usual  savage  cru 
elty.  Among  the  rest,  a  "  godly  young  man  of  the  name 
of  Butterfield,"  was  taken,  and  roasted  alive. 

The  boldness,  and  even  temerity  of  the  few  occupants 
of  the  fort,  with  these  horrors  staring  them  in  the  face,  is 
surprising.  Gardiner,  their  governor,  on  one  occasion,  ex 
asperated  a  body  of  Indians  who  had  come  forward  for  a 
species  of  parley,  by  mocking,  daring,  and  taunting  them 
in  their  own  style  of  irony  and  vituperation. 

The  colonists  appear  to  have  been  even  more  horror- 
stricken  and  enraged  at  the  blasphemous  language  of  their 
wild  opponents,  than  at  their  implacable  cruelty.  When 
they  tortured  a  prisoner,  they  would  bid  him  call  upon  his 
God,  and  mock  and  deride  him  if  he  did  so,  in  a  manner  not 
unlike  that  recorded  in  the  case  of  a  more  illustrious  sufferer. 

They  told  Gardiner  that  they  had  "  killed  Englishmen, 
and  could  kill  them  like  mosquitoes  ;  "  and  that  there  was 
one  among  them  who,  "  if  he  could  kill  one  more  English 
man,  would  be  equal  with  God." 

Joseph  Tilly,  commander  of  a  trading  vessel,  a  man  de 
scribed  as  "  brave  and  hardy,  but  passionate  and  wilful,'* 
going  on  shore,  incautiously,  and  against  the  advice  of 
Gardiner,  was  taken  by  the  savages,  and  tortured  to  death 
in  the  most  lingering  and  cruel  manner,  being  partially 
dismembered,  and  slowly  burned  to  death  by  lighted 
splinters  thrust  into  his  flesh.  His  conduct  in 'this  extrem 
ity  excited  the  lasting  admiration  of  his  tormentors  ;  for, 
like  one  of  their  own  braves,  he  endured  all  with  silent 
fortitude. 


238  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  Indians  were  accustomed  to  imitate  and  deride  the 
cries  and  tokens  of  pain  which  they  usually  elicited  from 
the  whites,  as  being  unworthy  of  men,  and  tolerable  only 
in  women  or  children. 

In  April  of  this  year  (1637),  an  attack  was  made  upon 
the  village  of  Wethersfield,  by  a  body  of  Pequots,  as 
sisted  or  led  by  other  Indians  of  the  vicinity,  whose  enmi 
ty  had  been  excited  by  some  unjust  treatment  on  the  part 
of  the  white  inhabitants.  Three  women  and  six  men  of 
the  colonists  were  killed,  and  cattle  and  other  property 
destroyed  or  carried  off  to  a  considerable  extent.  Two 
young  girls,  daughters  of  one  Abraham  Swain,  were  taken 
and  carried  into  captivity.  Their  release  was  afterwards 
obtained  by  some  Dutch  traders,  who  inveigled  a  number 
of  Pequots  on  board  their  vessel,  and  threatened  to  throw 
them  into  the  sea  if  the  girls  were  not  delivered  up.  Dur 
ing  the  time  that  these  prisoners  were  in  the  power  of  the 
Indians,  they  received  no  injury,  but  were  treated  with 
uniform  kindness,  a  circumstance  which,  with  many  others 
of  the  same  nature,  marks  the  character  of  the  barbarians 
as  being  by  no  means  destitute  of  the  finer  feelings  of 
humanity. 

The  settlers  on  the  Connecticut  now  resolved  upon  ac 
tive  operations  against  the  Pequot  tribe.  Although  the 
whole  number  of  whites  upon  the  river,  capable  of  doing 
military  service,  did  not  exceed  three  hundred,  a  force  of 
ninety  men  was  raised  and  equipped.  Captain  John  Ma 
son,  a  soldier  by  profession,  and  a  bold,  energetic  man,  was 
appointed  to  the  command  of  tl^  expedition,  and  the  Rev 
erend  Mr.  Stone,  one  of  the  first  preachers  at  Hartford^ 
who  had  accompanied  his  people  across  the  wilderness,  at 
the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  that  town,  undertook  the 
office  of  chaplain  —  a  position  of  far  greater  importance 
and  responsibility,  in  the  eyes  of  our  forefathers,  than  is 
accorded  to  it  at  the  present  day. 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  239 

Letters  were  written  to  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts, 
requesting  assistance,  inasmuch  as  the  war  was  owing,  in 
110  small  measure,  to  the  ill-advised  and  worse-conducted 
expedition  sent  forth,  as  we  have  before  described,  by  that 
colony.  The  required  aid  was  readily  furnished,  and  a 
considerable  body  of  men,  under  the  command  of  Daniel 
Patrick,  was  sent  to  the  Narragansett  sachem,  to  procure 
his  cooperation,  and  afterwards  to  join  the  forces  of  Mason. 

The  little  army  was  further  increased  by  the  addition 
of  a  party  of  Indians,  led  by  a  chief  afterwards  so  cele 
brated  in  the  annals  of  the  colony,  as  to  deserve  more 
than  a  casual  mention  upon  the  occasion  of  this,  his  first 
introduction  to  the  reader. 

tineas,  a  sachem  of  the  Mohegans,  whom  we  have  be 
fore  mentioned  as  forming  a  portion  of  the  Pequot  tribe, 
had,  some  time  previous  to  the  events  which  we  are  now 
recording,  rebelled  against  the  authority  of  Sassacus,  his 
superior  sachem,  to  whom  he  was  connected  by  ties  of 
affinity  and  relationship. 

He  is  described  as  having  been  a  man  of  great  strength 
and  courage,  but  grasping,  cunning,  and  treacherous,  and 
possessed  of  little  of  that  magnanimity  which,  though 
counterbalanced  by  faults  peculiar  to  his  race,  distinguished 
his  implacable  foe,  Miantonimo  the  Narragansett. 

With  his  followers,  a  portion  of  whom  were  Mohegans, 
and  the  rest,  as  is  supposed,  Indians  from  the  districts  on 
the  Connecticut,  who  had  joined  themselves  to  his  fortunes, 
Uncas  now  made  common  cause  with  the  whites  against 
his  own  nation.  Gardiner,  the  commandant  at  Saybrook, 
to  test  his  fidelity,  despatched  him  in  pursuit  of  a  small 
party  of  hostile  Indians,  whose  position  he  had  ascertained. 
Uncas  accomplished  his  mission,  killing  a  portion  of  them, 
and  returning  with  one  prisoner.  This  captive  the  In 
dians  were  allowed  by  the  English  to  torture  to  death,  and 
they  proceeded  to  pull  him  asunder,  fastening  one  leg  to 


240  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA.. 

a  post>  and  tying  a  rope  to  the  other,  of  which  they  laid 
hold.  Underbill,  elsewhere  characterized  as  a  "  bold,  bad 
man,"  had,  on  this  occasion,  the  humanity  to  shorten  the 
torment  of  the  victim  by  a  pistol-shot. 

The  plan  of  campaign  adopted  by  Mason,  after  much 
debate,  was  to  sail  for  the  country  of  the  Narragansetts, 
and  there  disembarking,  to  come  upon  the  enemy  by  land 
from  an  unexpected  direction. 

Canonicus  and  Miantonimo  received  the  party  in  a 
friendly  manner,  approving  the  design,  but  proffering  no 
assistance. 

Intelligence  was  here  received  of  the  approach  of  Cap 
tain  Patrick  and  his  men  from  Massachusetts  ;  but  Mason 
determined  to  lose  no  time  by  waiting  for  their  arrival, 
lest  information  of  the  movement  should  in  the  meantime 
reach  the  camp  of  the  Pequots.  The  next  day,  therefore, 
which  was  the  4th  of  June,  the  vessels,  in  which  the  com 
pany  had  arrived  from  Saybrook,  set  sail  for  Pequot  river, 
manned  by  a  few  whites  and  Indians,  while  the  main  body 
proceeded  on  their  march  across  the  country.  About  sixty 
Indians,  led  by  Uncas,  were  of  the  party. 

A  large  body  of  Narragansetts  and  Nehantics  attended 
them  on  their  march,  at  one  time  to  the  number,  as  was 
supposed,  of  nearly  five  hundred.  In  Indian  style,  they 
made  great  demonstration  of  valor  and  determination ;  but 
as  they  approached  the  head-quarters  of  the  terrible  tribe 
that  had  held  them  so  long  in  awe,  their  hearts  began  to 
fail.  Many  slunk  away,  and  of  those  who  still  hung  in  the 
rear,  none  but  Uncas  and  Wequash,  a  Nehantic  sachem, 
were  ready  to  share  in  the  danger  of  the  first  attack. 

The  Pequot  camp  was  upon  the  summit  of  a  high 
rounded  hill,  still  known  as  Pequot  hill,  in  the  present 
town  of  Groton,  and  was  considered  by  the  Indians  as 
impregnable.  The  people  of  Sassacus  had  seen  the  Eng- 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  241 

lish  vessels  pass  by,  and  supposed  that  danger  was  for  the 
present  averted.  After  a  great  feast  and  dance  of  exulta 
tion  at  their  safety  and  success,  the  camp  was  sunk  in  sleep 
and  silence.  Mason  and  his  men,  who  had  encamped 
among  some  rocks  near  the  head  of  Mystic  river,  ap 
proached  the  Pequot  fortification  a  little  before  day,  on  the 
5th  of  June. 

The  alarm  was  first  given  by  the  barking  of  a  dog, 
followed  by  a  cry  from  some  one  within,  of  "  Owanux, 
Owaniix  "  —  the  Indian  term  for  Englishmen  —  upon 
which  the  besiegers  rushed  forward  to  the  attack. 

The  fort  was,  as  usual,  enclosed  with  thick  palisades,  a 
narrow  entrance  being  left,  which  was  barred  by  a  pile  of 
brushwood.  Breaking  through  this,  Mason  and  his  com 
panions  fell  upon  the  startled  Pequots,  and  maintained  for 
some  time  an  uncertain  hand  to  hand  conflict,  until,  all 
order  being  lost,  he  came  to  the  savage  determination  to 
fire  the  wigwams.  This  was  done,  and  the  dry  materials 
of  which  these  rude  dwellings  were  composed  blazed  with 
fearful  rapidity. 

The  warriors  fought  desperately,  but  their  bow-strings 
snapped  from  the  heat,  and  the  Narragansetts,  now  coming 
up,  killed  all  who  attempted  to  escape.  The  scene  within 
was  horrible  beyond  description.  The  whole  number  de 
stroyed  (mostly  by  the  flames)  was  supposed  to  be  over 
four  hundred,  no  small  portion  of  which  consisted  of  wo 
men  and  children. 

The  spirit  of  the  times  cannot  be  better  portrayed  than 
by  citing  the  description  of  this  tragedy  given  by  Morton : 
"  At  this  time  it  was  a  fearful  sight  to  see  them  thus  fry 
ing  in  the  fire,  and  the  streams  of  blood  quenching  the 
same ;  and  horrible  was  the  stink  and  scent  thereof ;  but 
the  victory  seemed  a  sweet  sacrifice,  and  they  gave  the 
praise  thereof  to  God,  who  had  wrought  so  wonderfully 
for  them,  thus  to  enclose  their  enemies  in  their  hands,  and 


242  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

give  them  so  speedy  a  victory  over  so  proud,  insulting,  and 
blasphemous  an  enemy."  Dr.  Increase  Mather,  in  much 
the  same  vein,  says  :  "  This  day  we  brought  six  hundred 
Indian  souls  to  hell." 

In  looking  back  upon  this  massacre,  although  much 
allowance  must  be  made  for  the  rudeness  of  the  age,  and 
the  circumstances  of  terror  and  anxiety  which  surrounded 
the  early  settlers,  yet  we  must  confess  that  here,  as  on 
other  occasions,  they  exhibited  the  utmost  unscrupulous- 
ness  as  to  the  means  by  which  a  desired  end  should  be  ac 
complished. 

The  loss  of  the  attacking  party  in  this  engagement  was 
trifling  in  the  extreme,  only  two  of  their  number  being 
killed,  and  about  twenty  wounded.  Captain  Patrick  with 
his  soldiers  from  Massachusetts,  did  not  reach  the  scene  of 
action  in  time  to  take  part  in  it  —  Underbill,  however,  with 
twenty  men,  was  of  the  party. 

The  result  of  this  conflict  was  fatal  to  the  Pequots  as  a 
nation.  After  a  few  unavailing  attempts  to  revenge  their 
wrongs,  they  burned  their  remaining  camp,  and  commenced 
their  flight  to  the  haunts  of  their  forefathers  at  the  west 
ward. 

They  were  closely  pursued  by  the  whites  and  their  In 
dian  allies,  and  hunted  and  destroyed  like  wild  beasts. 
The  last  important  engagement  was  in  a  swamp  at  Fair- 
field,  where  they  were  completely  overcome.  Most  of  the 
warriors  were  slain,  fighting  bravely  to  the  last,  and  the 
women  and  children  were  distributed  as  servants  among  the 
colonists  or  shipped  as  slaves  to  the  West  Indies  ;  "  We 
send  the  male  children,"  says  Winthrop,  "  to  Burmuda, 
by  Mr.  William  Pierce,  and  the  women  and  maid  children 
are  dispersed  about  in  the  towns."  It  is  satisfactory  to  re 
flect  that  these  wild  domestics  proved  rather  a  source  of 
annoyance  than  service  to  their  enslavers. 

Sassacus,  Mononotto,  and  a  .few  other  Pequot  warriors, 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  243 

succeeded  in  effecting  their  escape  to  the  Mohawks,  who, 
however,  put  the  sachem  and  most  of  his  companions  to 
death,  either  to  oblige  the  English  or  the  Narragansetts. 

The  members  of  the  tribe  who  still  remained  in  Con 
necticut  were  finally  brought  into  complete  subjection^ 
Many  of  them  joined  the  forces  of  the  now  powerful  Un- 
cas ;  others  were  distributed  between  the  Narragansetts 
and  Mohegans  ;  and  no  small  number  were  taken  and  de 
liberately  massacred. 

The  colonial  authorities  demanded  that  all  Pequots  who 
had  been  in  any  way  concerned  in  shedding  English  blood 
should  be  slain,  and  Uncas  had  no  small  difficulty  in  re 
taining  his  useful  allies,  and  at  the  same  time  satisfying 
the  powerful  strangers  whose  patronage  and  protection 
he  so  assiduously  courted. 


CHAPTEK   III. 

QUARRELS  BETWEEN  THE  NARRAGANSETTS  AND  MOHEGANS.  —  fJNCAS 
AND  MIANTONIMO.  — THE  MOHEGAN  LAND  CONTROVERSY.  —  SUBSE 
QUENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  PEQUOTS  AND  MOHEGANS. 

A  SMALL  body  of  the  Pequots  made  one  more  futile 
attempt  to  settle  in  their  old  country ;  but  a  company  was 
sent  against  them,  and  they  were  driven  off;  their  provis 
ions  were  plundered,  and  their  wigwams  destroyed. 

The  destruction  of  this  powerful  tribe  left  a  large  extent 
of  country  unoccupied  ;  to  no  small  portion  of  which  Un- 
cas  laid  claim  by  virtue  of  his  relationship  to  Sassacus. 
The  power  and  influence  of  this  subtle  and  warlike  chief 
had  become,  by  this  time,  vastly  extended,  not  only  by 
treaty  and  alliance  with  the  Europeans,  but  by  continual 
addition  to  the  number  of  his  warriors ;  as  many  straggling 


244  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

Pequots,  and  wanderers  from  other  tribes,  were  eager  to 
join  his  rising*  fortunes. 

Between  him  and  Miantonimo,  old  feelings  of  jealousy, 
rivalry,  and  national  antipathy  were  now  aroused  anew  by 
various  acts  of  petty  hostility  and  mutual  treachery.  Un- 
cas  and  his  followers  succeeded  in  exciting  in  the  minds  of 
the  English  a  deep  and  abiding  mistrust  of  the  Narragan- 
setts,  which  Miantonimo,  upon  repeated  citations  before 
the  court  at  Plymouth,  was  unable  wholly  to  remove.  His 
wisdom,  cautiousness,  and  sagacity,  excited  the  admiration 
of  all  who  heard  him,  but,  with  all  his  tact,  he  failed  to 
convince  the  authorities  of  his  good  faith  and  innocent  in 
tentions. 

The  animosity  of  the  two  chiefs  at  last  broke  out  into 
open  hostilities.  Miantonimo,  accompanied,  as  was  com 
puted,  by  over  nine  hundred  warriors,  came  suddenly  upon 
Uncas,  who  was  supported  by  only  about  half  that  number 
of  effective  followers.  Before  joining  battle,  the  Mohegan 
sachem  challenged  his  opponent  to  single  combat,  propos 
ing  that  the  vanquished  party  should,  with  his  men,  submit 
to  the  victor. 

Miantonimo  refusing  to  accede  to  this  proposal,  Uncas, 
according  to  a  preconcerted  signal,  prostrated  himself;  and 
his  warriors,  discharging  a  flight  of  arrows,  rushed  forward 
with  such  impetuosity  that,  despite  the  disparity  of  num 
bers,  they  completely  routed  the  Narragansetts,  and  drove 
them  from  the  field. 

The  chief  of  the  invaders  was  taken  prisoner  in  his 
flight  by  Uncas  himself,  assisted  by.  two  other  warriors. 
He  had  been  impeded  in  his  motions  by  an  old  corselet,  a 
piece  of  defensive  armor  which  had  been  presented  to  him 
by  an  English  friend,  but  which  proved  fetal  to  him.  See 
ing  that  resistance  was  hopeless,  he  seated  himself  upon 
the  ground,  with  true  Indian  stoicism  and  silence. 

Uncas  took  his  prisoner  to  Hartford,  and  requested  the 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  245 

advice  of  the  authorities  as  to  what  course  he  should  pur 
sue  respecting  him.  They  referred  the  question  to  the 
general  court  of  commissioners  for  New  England,  which 
sat  at  Boston,  in  September,  (1643).  The  court,  unwilling 
to  undertake  the  responsibility  of  ordering  the  death  of  the 
illustrious  captive,  submitted  the  matter  to  the  decision  of 
the  clergy,  then  in  high  council  at  the  same  city.  These 
worthies,  less  scrupulous  than  the  laity,  came  to  the  con 
clusion  that  his  life  must  pay  the  forfeit  of  his  attacks 
upon  Uncas,  and  his  general  turbulence,  not  to  mention 
the  fact  that  he  had,  in  one  instance,  beaten  a  follower  of 
a  sachem  who  was  allied  to  the  English ! 

The  unfortunate  sachem  was  therefore  redelivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  Mohegans  for  execution,  and  two  of  the 
English  were  appointed  to  attend  the  proceeding,  and  see 
that  he  was  put  to  death  without  torture.  There  is  some 
discrepancy  in  the  accounts  as  to  the  place  where  Mian- 
tonimo  met  his  fate,  but  it  appears  to  have  been  in  the 
township  of  Norwich,  where  a  pile  of  stones  was  long  after 
pointed  out  as  marking  his  grave.  The  manner  of  his 
death  was  this  :  Uncas,  with  his  brother  Wawequa,  and  a 
party  of  other  Indians,  accompanied  by  the  two  whites, 
was  leading  his  prisoner  along  a  path,  when,  at  a  silent 
signal  from  the  chief,  Wawequa  buried  his  tomahawk  in 
the  skull  of  the  captive  from  behind.  It  is  said  that  Un 
cas  cut  a  portion  of  flesh  from  the  shoulder  of  his  fallen 
enemy,  and  ate  it,  declaring  that  it  was  the  "  sweetest  meat 
he  ever  ate ;  it  made  his  heart  strong." 

The  Narragansetts  lamented  bitterly  over  the  untimely 
end  of  their  famous  and  beloved  sachem,  and  complained 
of  the  treachery  of  Uncas,  averring  that  large  quantities 
of  wampum  had  been  sent  as  ransom  to  the  Mohegans,  and 
appropriated  by  them,  regardless  of  the  conditions  attend 
ing  its  mission. 

Pessacus,  a  brother  of  Miantonimo,  continued  to  make 


246  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

troublesome  inroads  upon  the  Mohegan  domains,  but  trie 
English  still  held  Uncas  in  favor,  and  warned  the  Narfa- 
gansetts  that  they  would  support  him  should  he  require 
their  aid. 

In  1644,  the  complaints  and  mutual  recriminations  of 
the  rival  tribes  were  heard  and  examined  by  the  commis 
sioners  of  the  colonies,  who  decided  that  Pessacus  had  not 
proved  his  charges,  and  enforced  a  temporary  treaty.  This 
was  soon  violated  by  the  Narragansetts,  who  continued 
their  depredations  as  heretofore  ;  and  in  the  ensuing  spring, 
Pessacus,  having  done  great  damage  to  his  opponent  by 
predatory  excursions,  finally  besieged  him  in  a  fort  on  the 
Thames,  where  he  would  probably  have  reduced  him  by 
famine,  had  not  supplies  been  secretly  furnished  by  certain 
of  the  English. 

The  tyranny  and  exactions  of  Uncas  over  the  Pequots 
who  had  become  subject  to  him,  aroused  their  indignation ; 
while  his  treachery  towards  his  own  people,  and  alliance 
with  the  whites,  secured  him  the  hostility  of  every  neigh 
boring  tribe.  He  was  engaged  in  perpetual  quarrels  with 
Ninigret,  a  celebrated  Nehantic  sachem  ;  with  Sequassen, 
whose  authority  at  an  earlier  date  extended  over  the  Tunxis 
tribe,  at  the  westward  of  the  Connecticut ;  and  with  the 
grieved  and  revengeful  Narragansetts. 

Whenever  these  interminable  disputes  were  brought  be 
fore  the  court  of  the  New  England  commissioners,  the 
decisions  of  that  body  appear  to  have  favored  the  Mohegan. 
Assisted  by  the  counsel  of  a  crafty  and  subtle  Indian, 
named  Foxun  or  Poxen,  who  served  him  in  the  capacity 
of  chief  advocate  and  adviser,  and  whose  wisdom  and  sa 
gacity  were  widely  noted,  he  generally  managed  to  explain 
away  his  iniquities  ;  at  least  so  far  as  to  satisfy  an  audience 
already  prejudiced  in  his  favor.  When  his  crimes  were 
not  to  be  concealed,  a  reprimand  and  caution  were  gen 
erally  the  extent  of  his  punishment. 


INDIANS   OF   NEW   ENGLAND.  247 

On  the  other  hand,  when  suspicions  arose  against  the  Nar- 
ragansetts,  the  most  prompt  and  violent  proceedings  were  re 
sorted  to  :  the  payment  of  an  immense  amount  of  wampum 
was  exacted  ;  the  delivery  of  hostages  from  among  the  prin 
cipal  people  of  the  tribe  was  demanded  ;  and  threats  of  war 
and  extermination  were  used  to  humble  and  humiliate  them. 

In  September,  1655,  a  few  of  the  scattered  Pequots  who 
had  not  joined  the  forces  of  Uncas,  were  allowed  a  resting- 
place  by  the  commissioners,  upon  a  portion  of  the  south 
eastern  sea-coast  of  Connecticut,  and  their  existence  as  a 
separate  tribe  was  formally  acknowledged.  • 

This  little  remnant  of  the  crushed  and  overthrown  na 
tion  had  been,  for  some  time,  under  the  guidance  of  two 
self-constituted  sachems,  one  commonly  called  Robin  Cas- 
sinament,  a  Pequot,  and  the  other  Cushawashet,  a  nephew 
of  Ninigret,  known  among  the  English  as  Hermon  Garret. 

They  had  formed  small  settlements  upon  the  tract  now 
allotted  to  them,  which  they  were  allowed  to  retain  upon 
payment  of  tribute,  in  wampum,  to  the  colonies,  and  the 
adoption  of  a  prescribed  code  of  laws.  Their  governors 
were  to  be  chosen  by  the  English ;  and  Cushawashet  and 
Cassinament  received  the  first  appointment. 

It  will  readily  be  perceived  to  what  an  extent  the  power 
and  control  of  the  colonists  over  the  affairs  of  the  Indians 
in  their  vicinity,  had  increased,  even  at  .this  early  period. 
The  natives  were  now  glad  to  settle  down  under  the  pro 
tection  of  their  masters ;  to  pay  yearly  tribute  as  amends 
for  former  hostilities  ;  and  to  hire  the  lands  of  which  they 
had  been  so  short  a  time  previous  the  undisturbed  possessors. 

It  is  pitiful  to  read  of  the  coarse  coats,  the  shovels,  the 
hoes,  the  knives,  and  jews-harps,  in  exchange  for  which 
they  had  parted  with  their  broad  lands.  Utterly  improvi 
dent,  and  incapable  of  foreseeing,  or  hopeless  of  averting 
the  ascendency  of  the  whites,  they  yielded  to  their  exac 
tions,  and  submitted  to  their  dictation. 


248  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

Sauntering  indolently  about  the  settlements,  and  wasting 
their  energies  by  excess  in  the  use  of  the  novel  means  of 
excitement  offered  by  "  strong  waters,"  they  lost  much  of 
that  native  pride,  dignity,  and  self-respect  which  distin 
guished  them  when  intercourse  with  foreigners  first  com 
menced.  Their  numbers,  which  appear  to  have  been 
grossly  exaggerated,  even  in  their  most  flourishing  days, 
were  rapidly  diminishing  ;  their  game  was  becoming  scarce  ; 
and  the  refinements  and  comforts  of  civilization,  rude  indeed 
as  compared  to  what  now  exists,  presented  to  their  eyes  at 
the  white  settlements,  only  aggravated  the  consciousness 
of  their  own  poverty  and  distress. 

The  Tunxis  and  Podunk  Indians,  who  inhabited  either 
side  of  the  Connecticut,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  English  set 
tlements  ;  the  Quinnipiacs  on  the  sound,  where  New  Haven 
now  stands ;  the  Nehantics,  to  the  eastward  of  the  river ; 
and  the  feeble  Pequot  settlement,  were  subject  to,  or  in 
effect,  under  the  control  of  the  colonists  :  Uncas  was  their 
(t  friend  and  fast  ally ; "  and  the  Narragansetts,  though  under 
suspicion  of  various  treacherous  plans,  were  nominally  at 
peace  with  the  whites,  and  quelled  by  the  terror  of  their  arms. 

This  condition  of  affairs  continued,  with  the  exception 
of  the  great  and  final  struggle  between  the  colonists  and 
the  natives,  known  as  Philip's  war  —  to  be  detailed  in  a 
succeeding  article  —  until  the  death  of  Uncas,  about  the 
year  1682.  He  left  the  title  to  his  extensive  domains  in 
volved  in  inextricable  confusion.  In  consequence  of  deeds 
and  grants  from  himself  and  his  sons  Owenoco  and  Attawan- 
hood,  to  various  individuals  among  the  white  settlers,  and 
for  various  purposes,  the  effect  of  which  conveyances  were 
probably  unknown  to  the  grantors,  numerous  contradictory 
claims  arose.  The  same  tracts  were  made  over  to  different 
persons ;  one  grant  would  extend  over  a  large  portion  of 
another  ;  and,  to  crown  all,  Uncas,  in  the  year  1659,  had 
aliened  his  whole  possessions  by  deed,  regularly  witnessed, 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  249 

to  John  Mason,  of  Norwich.  This  conveyance  was  evi 
dently  intended  by  the  sachem  merely  to  confer  a  general 
power  as  overseer  or  trustee  upon  a  man  whom  he  con 
sidered  as  friendly  to  his  interests,  and  whose  knowledge 
would  prove  a  protection  against  the  overreaching  of  pro 
posed  purchasers.  According  to  the  Indian  understand 
ing  of  the  transaction  was  the  claim  of  Mason  and  his 
heirs,  who  arrogated  to  themselves  no  further  interest  or 
authority  than  that  above  specified.  The  Connecticut 
colony,  by  virtue  of  a  general  deed  of  "  surrender  of  juris 
diction,"  obtained  from  Mason,  insisted  on  an  unqualified 
property  in  the  whole  domain. 

Owenoco  succeeded  his  father  as  sachem  of  the  Mohe- 
gans,  and  pursued  a  similar  course  to  secure  his  lands, 
conveying  them  to  the  sons  of  Mason  as  trustees.  His 
Indian  improvidence  and  intemperance  led  him  to  disre 
gard  this  arrangement,  and  to  give  deeds  of  various  tracts 
included  in  the  trust  conveyance,  without  the  knowledge 
or  assent  of  the  overseer.  In  July,  of  the  year  1704,  in 
order  to  settle  the  conflicting  claims  of  the  whites  and  In 
dians,  and  to  restore  to  the  tribe  the  portions  illegally 
obtained  from  them,  a  royal  commission  was  obtained  from 
England,  by  some  friends  of  the  Mohegans,  to  examine 
and  settle  the  disputed  questions. 

The  colony  protested  against  the  proceeding,  denying 
the  authority  of  the  crown  to  determine  upon  the  matter, 
and  refused  to  appear  before  the  commissioners.  The 
conduct  of  the  case  being  ex  parte,  a  decision  was  given  in 
favor  of  the  Mohegans,  restoring  them  to  a  vast  extent  of 
territory  alleged  to  have  been  obtained  from  their  sachems 
when  intoxicated,  or  by  other  under-hand  and  illegal 
courses.  From  this  decree  the  Connecticut  colony  ap 
pealed,  and  a  new  commission  was  granted,  but  with  no 
decisive  result,  and  the  case  remained  unsettled  for  more 
than  half  a  century  from  the  time  of  its  commencement. 
13 


250  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

Owenoco  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  becoming,  before  his 
death,  a  helpless  mendicant,  and  subsisting,  in  company 
with  his  squaw,  upon  the  hospitality  of  the  neighboring 
settlers.  His  son  Caesar  was  his  successor  as  sachem. 

Ben,  the  youngest  son  of  Uncas,  of  illegitimate  birth, 
succeeded  Caesar,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rightful  heir, 
young  Mamohet,  a  grandson  of  Owenoco. 

Mason  now  renewed  his  claims,  and,  accompanied  by 
his  two  sons,  carried  Mamohet  to  England,  that  he  might 
present  a  new  petition  to  the  reigning  monarch.  A 'new 
commission  was  awarded,  but  both  the  applicants  died 
before  it  was  made  out.  "When  the  trial  finally  came  on 
in  1738,  distinguished  counsel  were  employed  on  both 
sides,  in  anticipation  of  an  arduous  and  protracted  contest ; 
but  by  a  singular  course  of  collusion  and  artifice,  which 
it  were  too  tedious  to  detail,  the  decision  of  1705,  on  the 
first  commission,  was  repealed,  and  the  Connecticut  claims 
supported.  This  was  appealed  from  by  the  Masons,  and 
good  cause  appearing,  a  new  trial  was  decreed. 

Five  commissioners,  men  of  note  from  New  York  and 
New  Jersey,  met  at  Norwich  in  the  summer  of  1743,  and 
the  great  case  brought  in  auditors  and  parties  in  interest 
from  far  and  near.  The  claims,  and  the  facts  offered  in 
support  of  them,  were  strangely  intricate  and  complex : 
counsel  appeared  in  behalf  of  four  sets  of  parties,  viz.  : 
the  Connecticut  colony ;  the  two  claimants  of  the  title  of 
Sachem  of  the  Mohegans,  Ben  and  John,  a  descendant  of 
the  elder  branch  ;  and  those  in  possession  of  the  lands  in 
question. 

The  decree  was  in  favor  of  the  colony,  which  was  sus 
tained  on  the  concluding  examination  of  the  case  in 
England.  Two  of  the  commissioners  dissented.  The 
Mohegans  still  retained  a  reservation  of  about  four  thou 
sand  acres. 

Their  number  reduced  to  a  few  hundred  ;  distracted  by 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  251 

the  uncertain  tenure  of  their  property,  and  the  claims  of 
the  rival  sachems  ;  mingled  with  the  whites  in  contentions, 
the  merits  of  which  they  were  little  capable  of  compre 
hending  ;  with  drunkenness  and  vice  prevalent  among 
them ;  the  tribe  was  fast  dwindling  into  insignificance. 
Restrictive  laws,  forbidding  the  sale  of  ardent  spirits  to  the 
Indians,  were  then,  as  now,  but  of  little  effect. 

Of  the  celebrated  and  warlike  tribes  of  the  Mohegans 
and  Pequots,  only  a  few  miserable  families  now  remain 
upon  their  ancient  territory.  These  are  mostly  of  mixed 
blood,  and  little  of  the  former  character  of  their  race  is  to 
be  seen  in  them  except  its  peculiar  vices.  They  are 
scantily  supported  by  the  rents  of  the  lands  still  reserved 
and  appropriated  to  their  use.  A  number  of  the  Mohe 
gans  removed  to  the  Oneida  district,  in  New  York,  some 
years  since,  but  a  few  still  remain  near  the  former  head 
quarters  of  their  tribe,  and  individuals  among  them  retain 
the  names  of  sachems  and  warriors  noted  in  the  early  ages 
of  the  colonies. 

Much  interest  attaches  to  the  efforts  which  have  been 
made  for  the  instruction  and  improvement  of  this  remnant 
of  the  Mohegan  nation  ;  especially  as  connected  with  the 
biography  of  Samuel  Occum,  their  native  preacher  ;  one 
of  the  few  Indians  who  have  been  brought  under  the 
influence  of  civilization,  and  have  acquired  a  liberal 
education. 

In  reviewing  the  character  and  history  of  these,  as  of 
most  of  the  native  tribes,  and  reflecting  upon  their  steady 
and  hopeless  decline  before  the  European  immigrants,  we 
cannot  but  feel  influenced  by  contradictory  sympathies. 
Their  cruelties  strike  us  with  horror ;  their  treachery  and 
vices  disgust  us  ;  but,  with  all  this,  we  still  may  trace  the 
tokens  of  a  great  and  noble  spirit.  It  is  painful  to  reflect 
that  this  has  more  and  more  declined  as  their  communion 
with  the  whites  has  become  the  more  intimate.  Thcv 


252  INDIAN    RACES    OF    AMERICA. 

have  lost  their  nationality,  and  with  it  their  pride  and 
self-respect ;  the  squalid  and  poverty-stricken  figures  hang 
ing  about  the  miserable  huts  they  inhabit,  convey  but  a 
faint  idea  of  the  picture  that  the  nation  presented  when  in 
a  purely  savage  state ;  when  the  vices  of  foreigners  had 
not,  as  yet,  contaminated  them,  nor  their  superior  power 
and  knowledge  disheartened  them  by  the  contrast. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
KING    PHILIP'S    WAR. 

THE  INDIANS  FURNISHED  WITH  FIREARMS.  —  SITUATION  OF  THE  COL 
ONISTS.— PHILIP'S  ACCESSION.  — HIS  TREATIES  WITH  THE  WHITES.— 
HIS  TRUE  PLANS.  — EMISSARIES  SENT  TO  SOGKONATE. —  CAPTAIN 
BENJAMIN  CHURCH.  — HIS  INTERVIEW  WITH  AWOSHONKS.  — MURDER 
OF  JOHN  SASSAMON. 

THE  events  of  which  we  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a 
brief  synopsis,  were  of  more  momentous  interest,  and 
fraught  with  more  deadly  peril  to  the  ISTew  England  colo 
nies,  than  aught  that  had  preceded  them.  The  wild 
inhabitants  of  the  forest  had  now  become  far  more  danger 
ous  opponents  than  when  they  relied  upon  their  rude  flint- 
headed  arrows,  or  heavy  stone  tomahawks,  as  the  only 
efficient  weapons  of  offence.  Governor  Bradford,  many 
years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  hostilities  which  we 
are  about  to  detail,  had  given  a  graphic  description  of  the 
effect  produced  upon  their  deportment  and  self-confidence 
by  the  introduction  of  European  weapons.  We  quote 
from  Bradford's  verse,  as  rendered  in  prose  in  the  appendix 
to  Davis'  edition  of  the  New  England  Memorial. 

"  These  fierce  natives,"  says  he,  "  are  now  so  furnished 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  253 

with  guns  and  muskets,  and  are  so  skilled  in  them,  that 
they  keep  the  English  in  awe,  and  give  the  law  to  them 
when  they  please  ;  and  of  powder  and  shot  they  have  such 
abundance  that  sometimes  they  refuse  to  buy  more.  Flints, 
screw-plates,  and  moulds  for  all  sorts  of  shot  they  have, 
and  skill  how  to  use  them.  They  can  mend  and  new 
stock  their  pieces  as  well,  almost,  as  an  Englishman." 

He  describes  the  advantages  which  they  thus  obtained 
over  the  whites  in  the  pursuit  of  game ;  their  own  con 
sciousness  of  power,  and  boasts  that  they  could,  when 
they  pleased,  "  drive  away  the  English,  or  kill  them  ;  " 
and  finally  breaks  out  into  bitter  upbraidings  against  the 
folly  and  covetousness  of  the  traders  who  had  supplied 
them  with  arms.  His  forebodings  were  truly  prophetic  : 
"  Many,"  says  he,  "  abhor  this  practice,"  (the  trade  in 
arms  and  ammunition,)  (S  whose  innocence  will  not  save 
them  if,  which  God  forbid,  they  should  come  to  see,  by 
this  means,  some  sad  tragedy,  when  these  heathen,  in  their 
fury,  shall  cruelly  shed  our  innocent  blood." 

The  English  settlements  were  small,  ill  defended,  and 
widely  scattered.  Whoever  is  acquainted  with  the  rough 
nature  of  the  New  England  soil,  must  at  once  perceive 
how  necessary  it  became  for  the  first  settlers  to  select  the 
spots  most  favorable  for  cultivation,  and  what  an  inhos 
pitable  wilderness  must  have  separated  their  small  and  ill- 
protected  villages. 

The  whole  number  of  the  European  inhabitants  of 
New  England,  in  1675,  when  the  memorable  Indian  war 
broke  out,  has  been  computed  at  about  fifty  thousand, 
which  would  give  an  effective  force  of  not  far  from  eight 
thousand  men. 

It  were  but  wild  conjecture  to  attempt  a  computation 
of  the  number  and  force  of  the  native  tribes  who  took 
part  in  the  war.  Old  historians  frequently  speak  positively, 
and  in  round  numbers,  when  enumerating  the  aborigines  ; 

; 


254  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

but,  in  many  instances,  we  can  perceive,  with  tolerable 
certainty,  that  they  have  been  guilty  of  gross  exaggeration, 
such  as  the  whole  circumstances  of  their  intercourse  with 
the  savages  would  naturally  lead  to. 

An  enemy  whose  appearance  was  sudden  and  unex 
pected  j  who,  in  secret  ambuscade  or  midnight  assault, 
used  every  device  to  increase  the  terror  and  bewilderment 
of  their  victims,  might  well  be  over-estimated  by  those 
whose  all  was  at  stake,  and  who  were  waiting  in  fearful 
"uncertainty  as  to  where  the  danger  lay,  or  when  they 
should  next  be  called  to  resist  it. 

In  1662,  Philip,  Metacomet,  or  Pometacom,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  succeeded  his  brother  Alexander,  within  a 
few  months  of  the  death  of  their  father,  Massasoit.  Upon 
the  occasion  of  his  assuming  the  dignity  of  sachem  over 
the  Wampanoags,  there  was  a  great  collection  of  sachems 
and  warriors  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  to  unite  in  a 
feast  of  rejoicing  at  Mount  Hope,  where  he  held  his  court. 

Although  the  new  chief  renewed  his  treaty  with  the 
English,  and  for  nine  years  after  his  accession  made  no 
open  demonstrations  of  hostility,  yet  his  mind  appears 
from  the  first  to  have  been  aliened  from  the  intruders. 
Whether  from  anger  at  the  proceedings  attendant  on  the 
death  of  his  brother,  or  from  sympathy  with  his  injured 
allies,  the  Narragansetts,  or  that  his  natural  sagacity  sug 
gested  to  him  the  ruin  which  must  fall  upon  his  people  by 
the  spread  of  the  whites  ;  certain  it  is  that  his  feelings  of 
enmity  were  nourished  and  brooded  over,  long  before  their 
final  exhibition. 

Like  his  father  before  him,  he  never  inclined  an  ear  to 
the  teachings  of  the  Christian  religion.  Mather  mentions 
a  signal  instance  of  his  contempt  for  this  species  of  in 
struction.  The  celebrated  preacher,  Eliot,  had  expounded 
the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  urged  their  acceptance 
upon  Philip,  with  his  usual  zeal  and  sincerity  ;  but  the 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  255 

sachem,  approaching  him,  and  laying  hold  of  a  button  on 
his  coat,  told  him  that  he  cared  no  more  for  his  Gospel 
than  for  that  button. 

In  the  year  1671,  Philip  made  grievous  complaints  of 
trespasses  upon  the  planting-lands  of  his  people  :  according 
to  1  lubbard,  "•  the  devil,  who  was  a  murderer  from  the  be 
ginning,  had  so  filled  the  heart  of  this  savage  miscreant 
with  envy  and  malice  against  the  English,  that  he  was 
ready  to  break  out  into  open  war  against  the  inhabitants 
of  Plymouth,  pretending  some  trifling  injuries  done  him. 
in  his  planting-land." 

This  matter  was  for  the  time  settled,  the  complaints  not 
appearing  to  the  colonial  authorities  to  be  satisfactorily 
substantiated.  A  meeting  was  brought  about,  in  April, 
1671,  at  Taunton,  between  Philip,  accompanied  by  a  party 
of  his  warriors,  in  war  paint  and  hostile  trappings,  and 
commissioners  from  Massachusetts.  The  Indian  chief,  un 
able  to  account  for  the  hostile  preparations  in  which  he  was 
proved  to  have  been  engaged,  became  confused,  and  per 
haps  intimidated.  He  not  only  acknowledged  himself  in 
the  wrong,  and  that  the  rebellion  originated  in  the  "  naughti 
ness  of  his  own  heart,"  but  renewed  his  submission  to  the 
king  of  England,  and  agreed  to  surrender  all  his  English 
arms  to  the  government  of  New  Plymouth,  "  to  be  kept  as 
long  as  they  should  see  reason."  In  pursuance  of  this 
clause,  the  guns  brought  by  himself  and  the  party  who 
were  with  him  were  delivered  up. 

The  colonists,  now  thoroughly  alarmed,  made  efforts 
during  the  succeeding  summer  to  deprive  the  neighboring 
tribes  of  arms  and  ammunition,  making  further  prohibitory 
enactments  as  to  the  trade  in  these  articles.  Philip  having 
failed  to  carry  out  his  agreement  to  surrender  his  weapons, 
the  Plymouth  government  referred  the  matter  to  the 
authorities  of  Massachusetts  ;  but  Philip,  repairing  himself 
to  Boston,  excited  some  feeling  in  his  favor,  and  the 


256  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

claims  of  Plymouth  were  not  fully  assented  to.  Another 
treaty  was  concluded  in  the  ensuing  September,,  whereby 
Philip  agreed  to  pay  certain  stipulated  costs ;  to  consider 
himself  subject  to  the  king  of  England ;  to  consult  the 
governor  of  Plymouth  in  the  disposal  of  his  lands,  as  also 
in  the  making  of  war  ;  to  render,  if  practicable,  five  wolves* 
heads  yearly  ;  and  to  refer  all  differences  and  causes  of 
quarrel  to  the  decision  of  the  governor.  The  arms  put  in 
possession  of  the  English  at  the  time  of  the  meeting  in 
April,  were  declared  forfeit,  and  confiscated  by.  the  Plym 
outh  government. 

There  can  he  but  little  doubt  as  to  Philip's  motive  for 
signing  these  articles.  Feelings  of  enmity  and  revenge 
towards  the  whites  had  obtained  complete  possession  of 
him,  and  he  evidently  wished  merely  to  quiet  suspicion 
and  avert  inquiry.  It  is  almost  universally  allowed  that 
he  had  long  formed  a  deep  and  settled  plan  to  exterminate 
the  white  settlers,  and,  in  pursuance  of  it,  had  made  use 
of  all  his  powers  of  artful  persuasion  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  surrounding  tribes.  The  time  for  a  general  uprising 
was  said  to  have  been  fixed  a  year  later  than  the  period 
when  hostilities  actually  commenced,  and  the  premature 
development  of  the  conspiracy,  brought  about  in  a  manner 
to  which  we  shall  presently  advert,  has  been  considered  the 
salvation  of  the  colonies. 

Ilubbard,  indeed,  who  is  ever  unwilling  to  allow  that 
the  Indians  were  possessed  of  any  good  or  desirable  quali 
ties,  and  who  can  see  no  wrong  in  any  of  the  outrages  of 
the  whites,  suggests  that  Philip's  heart  would  have  failed 
him,  had  he  not  been  pressed  on  to  the  undertaking  by 
force  of  circumstances.  He  tells  us  that,  when  the  great 
sachem  succumbed  to  the  English  demands,  in  the  spring 
previous,  "  one  of  his  captains,  of  far  better  courage  and 
resolution  than  himself,  when  he  saw  his  cowardly  temper 
and  disposition,  flung  down  his  arms,  calling  him  a  white- 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  259 

livered  cur,  or  to  that  purpose,  and  saying  that  he  would 
never  own  him  again  or  fight  under  him  ;  and,  from  that 
time,  hath  turned  to  the  English,  and  hath  continued,  to 
this  day,  a  faithful  and  resolute  soldier  in  their  quarrel." 

Philip  had  mingled  much  with  the  whites,  and  was  well 
acquainted  with  their  habits,  dispositions,  and  force.  For 
fifty  years  there  had  been  comparative  peace  between  the 
colonists  and  their  savage  neighbors,  who,  although  slow 
to  adopt  the  customs  and  refinements  now  brought  to  their 
notice,  were  apt  enough,  as  we  have  seen,  in  availing  them 
selves  of  the  weapons  which  put  the  contending  nations  so 
nearly  upon  terms  of  equality. 

To  rouse  a  widely-scattered  people  to  such  a  desperate 
struggle ;  to  reconcile  clannish  animosities,  and  to  point 
out  the  danger  of  allowing  the  colonies  to  continue  their 
spread,  required  a  master-spirit.  The  Wampanoag  sachem 
proved  himself  qualified  for  the  undertaking  :  he  gained 
the  concurrence  and  cooperation  of  the  Narragansetts,  a 
nation  always  more  favorably  disposed  towards  the  English 
than  most  others  of  the  Indian  tribes ;  he  extended  his 
league  far  to  the  westward,  among  the  tribes  on  the  Con 
necticut  and  elsewhere ;  and  sent  diplomatic  embassies  in 
every  direction. 

Six  of  his  warriors,  in  the  spring  of  1675,  were  de 
spatched  to  Sogkonate,  now  Little  Compton,  upon  the  east 
ern  shores  of  Narragansett  bay,  and  extending  along  the 
sea-coast,  to  treat  with  Awoshonks,  squaw  sachem  of  the 
tribe,  concerning  the  proposed  uprising.  The  queen  ap 
pointed  a  great  dance,  calling  together  all  her  people,  but, 
at  the  same  time,  took  the  precaution  to  send  intelligence 
of  the  proceeding,  by  two  Indians,  named  Sassamon  and 
George,  who  understood  English,  to  her  friend,  Captain 
Benjamin  Church,  the  only  white  settler  then  residing  in 
that  part  of  the  country. 

This  remarkable  man,  whose  name  occupies  so  prominent 


260  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

a  place  in  the  list  of  our  early  military  heroes,  had  moved 
from  Duxbury  into  the  unsettled  country  of  the  Sogkonates 
only  the  year  before,  and  was  busily  and  laboriously  en 
gaged,  at  this  time,  in  building,  and  in  the  numerous  cares 
attendant  upon  a  new  settlement.  He  was  a  man  of  cour 
age  and  fortitude  unsurpassed :  bold  and  energetic  ;  but 
with  all  the  rough  qualities  of  a  soldier,  possessing  a  heart 
so  open  to  kindly  emotions  and  the  gentler  feelings  of  hu 
manity  as  to  excite  our  surprise,  when  we  consider  the  stern 
age  in  which  he  lived,  and  the  scenes  of  savage  conflict  in 
which  he  bore  so  conspicuous  a  part. 

True  courage  is  generally  combined  with  generosity  and 
magnanimity.  The  brave  man  seldom  oppresses  a  fallen 
foe ;  a  fact  strikingly  exemplified  in  Church's  treatment 
of  his  prisoners.  He  seems  to  have  harbored  none  of  those 
feelings  of  bitterness  and  revenge  which  led  the  colonists 
to  acts  of  perfidy  and  cruelty  hardly  surpassed  by  the 
savages  themselves.  The  manner  in  which  he  was  able 
to  conciliate  the  good-will  of  the  Indians,  known  as  he  was 
among  them  for  their  most  dangerous  foe,  is  truly  aston 
ishing.  It  was  his  custom  to  select  from  his  captives  such 
as  took  his  fancy,  and  attach  them  to  himself,  and  never 
was  officer  attended  by  a  more  enthusiastic  and  faithful 
guard  than  they  proved.  His  son  tells  us  that  "  if  he 
perceived  they  looked  surly,  and  his  Indian  soldiers  called 
them  treacherous  dogs,  as  some  of  them  would  sometimes 
do,  all  the  notice  he  would  take  of  it  would  only  be  to 
clap  them  on  the  back,  and  tell  them,  (  Come,  come,  you 
look  wild  and  surly,  and  mutter,  but  that  signifies  nothing ; 
these,  my  best  soldiers,  were,  a  little  while  ago,  as  wild  and 
surly  as  you  are  now ;  by  the  time  you  have  been  but  one 
clay  with  me,  you  will  love  me  too,  and  be  as  brisk  as  any 
of  them,'  Arid  it  proved  so,  for  there  was  none  of  them 
but,  after  they  had  been  a  little  while  with  him,  and  seen 
his  behavior  and  how  cheerful  and  successful  his  men 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  261 

were,  would  be  as  ready  to  pilot  him  to  any  place  where 
the  Indians  dwelt  or  haunted,  though  their  own  fathers  or 
nearest  relations  should  be  among  them,  or  to  fight  for  him, 
as  any  of  his  own  men." 

Captain  Church  was  in  high  favor  and  confidence  with 
Awoshonks  and  her  tribe ;  he  therefore  accepted  her  invi 
tation  to  attend  at  the  dance,  and  started  for  the  camp, 
accompanied  by  a  son  of  his  tenant,  who  spoke  the  Indian 
language. 

He  found  the  queen  leading  the  dance,  "  in  a  muck  of 
sweat,"  surrounded  by  a  great  body  of  her  subjects.  She 
received  her  visitor  hospitably,  told  him  of  Philip's  threats, 
and  inquired  concerning  the  purposes  of  the  English. 
Church  told  her  that  no  injuries  had  been  meditated  by 
the  whites,  as  Philip  averred,  but  that  the  sachem  was  the 
aggressor.  He  advised  her  to  keep  upon  good  terms  with 
the  English,  asking  her  whether  it  was  a  probable  thing 
that  he  should  have  come  down  into  the  wilderness  to  set 
tle,  if  there  were  warlike  preparations  in  progress  among 
his  people  ;  and  silenced  the  six  Mount  Hope  ambassadors 
by  recommending  that  they  should  be  knocked  on  the  head. 
A  stormy  discussion  ensued  among  the  Indians,  and  one 
Little  Eyes,  a  man  of  importance,  endeavored  to  draw 
Church  aside  to  despatch  him  quietly ;  but  the  captain  was 
unmoved,  and  upbraided  the  Mount  Hopes  for  their  bloody 
intention,  assuring  them  that,  if  they  would  have  war,  he 
would  prove  a  thorn  in  their  sides.  Awroshonks  inclined 
to  his  advice,  and,  having  appointed  two  men  to  guard  his 
house  during  his  absence,  desired  him  to  go  to  Plymouth, 
and  make  known  her  good  faith  to  the  colonies. 

Church  started  on  his  mission,  and,  on  the  way,  gained 
further  information  concerning  Philip's  movements  from 
Peter  Nunnuit,  the  husband  of  Weetamore,  queen  of  Po- 
casset,  now  Tiverton.  Philip,  it  seems,  had  been  holding 
a  protracted  dance  for  a  number  of  weeks,  rousing  a  mar- 


262  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

tial  spirit  in  the  minds  of  the  young  warriors  who  were 
gathered  about  him  from  far  and  near.  He  had  finally 
promised  them  that,  on  the  succeeding  Sabbath,  they  might 
plunder  the  English  settlements,  while  the  people  were  en 
gaged  in  religious  services. 

We  may  here  mention  a  circumstance  which  was  con 
sidered,  by  Hubbard  and  others,  as  having  an  important 
bearing  upon  the  premature  commencement  of  hostilities 
on  the  part  of  Philip :  this  was  the  murder  of  John  Sas- 
samon,  and  the  subsequent  execution  of  the  guilty  parties. 
Sassamon  was  one  of  the  few  Indians  who,  at  that  time, 
had  received  the  rudiments  of  an  English  education.  He 
was  a  professor  of  Christianity,  and  had  been  employed 
among  his  people  in  the  capacities  of  schoolmaster,  preacher, 
and  royal  secretary.  In  1662,  he  occupied  this  latter  post 
under  Philip,  to  whom  he  was  subject,  although  born  a 
Massachusett  —  and  specimens  of  his  imperfect  communi 
cations  with  the  colonies,  in  behalf  of  his  sachem,  are  still 
preserved. 

Becoming  aware  of  the  dangerous  conspiracy  fomented 
by  Philip,  he  disclosed  the  whole  plot  to  the  officers  of  the 
colony  ;  and,  not  long  after,  his  body  was  found  in  Assa- 
womsett  pond,  with  the  neck  broken,  and  presenting  other 
marks  of  violence.  His  gun  and  hat  were  so  disposed  as 
to  give  the  impression  that  he  had  accidentally  fallen 
through  the  ice,  and  been  drowned.  The  matter  was 
strictly  inquired  into,  and  three  Indians,  of  Philip's  party, 
falling  under  suspicion,  were  regularly  tried  before  a  jury, 
in  part  at  least  of  their  peers,  as  it  was  composed  of  whites 
and  Indians.  The  culprits  were  convicted  and  executed, 
two  of  them  upon  what  would  appear  to  us  as  very  insuf 
ficient  evidence.  Mather  speaks  of  the  blood  oozing  from 
the  murdered  body  on  the  approach  of  the  accused ;  but 
whether  this  circumstance  made  a  part  of  the  evidence 
before  the  court  does  not  appear. 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  263 

Philip  himself  did  not  come  forward  to  attempt  to  clear 
himself  of  the  charge  of  being  concerned  in  this  murder, 
but  kept  his  warriors  in  preparation  for  battle,  receiving 
and  entertaining  all  the  roving  and  unsettled  Indians  who 
would  resort  to  him,  and  "  marching  up  and  down"  con 
tinually  during  the  pendency  of  the  trial. 


CHAPTER    V. 

ATTACK  ON  SWANSEY.  — COLLECTION  OF  TROOPS.  — FIGHT  AT  MILES' 
BRIDGE.— PHILIP  DRIVEN  FROM  THE  NECK.  — CHURCH  AT  PUNKA- 
TESE.  — DESTRUCTION  OF  BROOKFIELD. 

IT  was  on  the  24th  of  June,  1675,  that  the  first  open 
attack  was  made  upon  the  colonies.  The  small  village  of 
Swansey  lay  within  a  few  miles  of  Mount  Hope,  and  here 
the  first  blood  was  shed.  Some  days  previous,  a  party  of 
the  natives  had  committed  a  few  slight  depredations  at  this 
place,  and  conducted  themselves  with  insolence,  evidently 
desirous  of  provoking  a  quarrel. 

The  squaws  and  children  of  Philip's  active  force  were 
sent,  for  safety,  to  the  country  of  the  Narragansetts,  before 
any  open  demonstration  of  hostilities. 

Some  little  discrepancy  occurs  in  the  early  accounts  of 
the  first  fatal  attack,  but  it  is  certain  that,  on  the  day  above 
mentioned,  eight  or  nine  men  were  killed  in  different  parts 
of  Swansey.  A  company  returning  from  religious  exer 
cises,  "  in  a  way  of  humiliation,"  were  fired  upon  with  fatal 
effect,  one  being  killed  and  several  wounded.  Two  more, 
who  had  started  in  quest  of  a  surgeon,  were  slain,  scalped 
and  mangled  ;  and  six  men  were  killed  at  a  dwelling-house 
situated  in  another  part  of  the  settlement. 

From  this  period  all  was  terror  and  confusion.     Swan- 


2lU  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

sey  was  deserted  by  its  inhabitants,  and  mostly  reduced  to 
ashes  by  the  Indians.  Deputations  were  sent  to  Boston, 
to  lay  the  case  before  the  Massachusetts  authorities,  and 
to  solicit  some  prompt  and  efficient  protection  in  this  ter 
rible  emergency. 

A  party  of  horse  and  foot  were  at  once  despatched  in 
the  direction  of  Mount  Hope,  under  the  command  of  Cap 
tains  Henchman  and  Prentice.  Samuel  Mosely,  -a  bold 
and  martial  character,  who  had  pursued  the  calling  of  a 
privateer,  raised  a  volunteer  company  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  soldiers,  and  joined  the  expedition.  He  was,  it  is  said, 
accompanied  by  several  buccaneers  of  his  own  class,  with 
a  number  of  dogs  ;  and  the  feats  performed  by  them,  upon 
divers  occasions,  savor  rather  of  the  marvellous. 

The  head-quarters  of  the  united  forces  were  at  the  house 
of  a  minister  of  Swansey,  named  Miles,  and  hard  by  was  a 
bridge,  affording  convenient  access  to  the  domains  of  Philip. 

Captain  Church,  with  the  Plymouth  troops  under  Major 
Cutworth,  were  now  acting  in  concert  with  the  men  from 
Massachusetts.  The  Indians  lay  concealed  or  skulking 
about  the  garrison,  and  succeeded  in  killing  a  number  by 
shots  from  covert,  but  showed  themselves  wary  of  coming 
to  open  combat. 

A  detachment  of  Prentice's  men,  led  by  a  Mr.  Gill  and 
one  Belcher,  made  an  attempt  upon  the  enemy  in  their 
own  quarters,  but,  upon  crossing  Miles'  bridge,  were  fired 
upon  by  some  of  the  Indians  lying  in  ambush,  and  one 
of  their  number  was  killed.  Gill  was  struck  by  a  ball, 
which  would  have  proved  mortal  but  for  a  singular  species 
of  defensive  armor,  viz.  :  a  quantity  of  thick  brown  paper 
which  he  had  inserted  under  his  clothes.  The  troops  re 
treated,  leaving  Church,  Gill,  and  another  to  bring  off  the 
dead  man  ;  which,  being  accomplished,  Church  pursued 
and  regained  his  horse,  under  the  full  fire  of  the  enemy. 

The  next  day  the  bridge  was  crossed  by  a  larger  force, 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  265 

and,  after  some  skirmishing,  in  which  "Ensign  Savage, 
that  young  martial  spark,  scarce  twenty  years  of  age,"  was 
shot  through  the  thigh  —  as  Church  says,  by  an  accidental 
ball  from  his  own  party  —  the  neck  of  Mount  Hope  was 
cleared  of  Indians.  The  English  there  found  Philip's  de 
serted  wigwam,  and  the  mutilated  remains  of  a  number 
of  the  murdered  whites. 

It  was  now  proposed  to  secure  the  ground  already  gained 
by  the  erection  of  a  fort.  Church  ridiculed  the  plan,  and 
urgently  advocated  a  brisk  pursuit  of  the  enemy  in  the 
Pocasset  country,  whither  they  had  doubtless  fled.  From 
disregard  to  this  advice,  Philip  had  free  scope  to  extend 
his  devastations  unchecked  toward  the  east,  and  terrible 
destruction  ensued,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter. 

Early  in  July,  Captains  Church  and  Fuller,  with  six 
files  of  soldiers,  -were  sent  across  to  Rhode  Island,  thence 
to  cross  Sogkonate  river,  and  endeavor  to  communicate 
with  the  Pocasset  and  Sogkonate  Indians.  About  the  same 
time,  Captain  Hutchinson,  from  Boston,  arrived  at  the 
English  encampment,  having  been  commissioned  to  treat 
with  and  gain  over  the  Narragansetts.  In  pursuance  of 
this  purpose,  Hutchinson,  with  Mosely  and  the  Massachu 
setts  troops,  proceeded  in  arms  to  the  Narragansett  country, 
where,  in  concert  with  commissioners  frbm  Connecticut, 
they  concluded  a  futile  and  inoperative  treaty  of  amity 
with  certain  Indians  claiming  to  be  chief  counsellors  of  the 
prominent  sachems.  The  Narragansetts  were  bound,  by 
the  stipulations  of  this  alliance,  to  render  up  all  of  Philip's 
subjects  who  should  be  found  in  their  country  —  receiving 
two  coats  for  every  prisoner,  and  one  coat  for  every  head  — 
and  to  carry  on  active  wrar  against  the  enemies  of  the  whites. 
Hostages  were  given  to  ensure  the  performance  of  the  en 
gagement. 

While  this  child's  play  was  enacting,  Fuller  and  Church, 
with  their  little  band  of  thirty-six  men,  had  penetrated 


266  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

into  the  country  of  the  Pocassets.  After  some  unsuccess 
ful  attempts  to  entrap  the  enemy  by  means  of  ambuscade, 
(the  concealed  company  being  betrayed  by  incautiously 
gratifying  their  "  epidemical  plague,  lust  after  tobacco/') 
Church  and  fifteen  or  twenty  companions,  with  the  consent 
of  Captain  Fuller,  left  the  rest  at  Pocasset,  and  marched 
southward. 

They  struck  an  Indian  trail  leading  towards  an  extensive 
pine  swamp,  but  the  company  becoming  alarmed  by  the 
numbers  of  rattlesnakes  which  abounded  there,  left  the 
track,  and  went  down  into  Punkatese  neck.  At  this  place, 
which  is  situated  on  the  south-western  part  of  the  modern 
town  of  Tiverton,  they  encountered  a  large  body  of  the 
natives  in  and  around  a  pease-field  of  Captain  Almy.  They 
numbered,  as  Church  was  afterwards  told  by  some  of  their 
own  party,  about  three  hundred  ;  but,  as  they  pursued  the 
usual  course  of  savage  warfare,  firing  from  behind  trees 
and  thickets,  the  English  could  form  no  estimate  of  the 
force  with  which  they  were  to  contend. 

In  this  extremity  the  courage,  coolness,  and  self-posses 
sion  of  the  gallant  captain  were  eminently  conspicuous. 
As  forcibly  expressed  in  Church's  narrative,  "the  hill 
seemed  to  move,  being  covered  over  with  Indians,  with 
their  bright  guns*  glittering  in  the  sun." 

A  detachment  had  been  sent  down  the  river  in  boats  to 
support  the  troops  on  land,  and  could  be  plainly  seen, 
landed  upon  the  Rhode  Island  shore,  across  the  river. 
Church  bade  his  men  strip  to  their  shirt-sleeves,  and  fire 
signal  guns  to  attract  attention,  and  show  their  allies  that 
the  party  engaged  was  English.  This  course  succeeded, 
and  a  boat  put  out,  and  approached  the  combatants  ;  but, 
on  approaching  the  shore,  the  crew  received  such  a  volley 
from  the  guns  of  the  Indians,  that  they  pulled  off  again. 
Church,  enraged  at  their  pusillanimity,  finally  ordered  the 
boat  off,  and  threatened  to  fire  into  her  himself.  These 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  267 

few  men,  thus  left  to  shift  for  themselves,  now  seemed  to 
be  in  a  desperate  condition.  They  were  faint  for  want  of 
food,  as  they  had  neglected  to  bring  any  provisions,  other 
than  a  few  cakes  of  rusk,  and  had  been  driven  from  the 
pease-field  while  endeavoring  to  allay  their  hunger  with 
the  crude  nourishment  within  their  reach.  The  Indians 
beset  them  on  all  sides,  and,  gaining  possession  of  the  ruins 
of  an  old  stone-house,  poured  their  bullets  upon  the  Eng 
lish  from  its  shelter.  The  ammunition  of  Church's  party 
was  nearly  expended,  and  their  powder  was  poor  and  in 
efficient.  In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties,  the  captain 
succeeded  in  preserving  the  courage  and  spirit  of  his  men, 
pointing  out  to  them  how  providentially  the  balls  seemed 
to  be  directed. 

They  were  finally  relieved  from  their  perilous  situation 
by  the  arrival  of  a  sloop  of  Captain  Golding,  an  acquaint 
ance  of  Church.  Mooring  the  vessel  at  a  short  distance^ 
he  cast  off  a  canoe,  and  suffered  it  to  drive  ashore.  In' 
this  slight  vehicle,  which  would  carry  but  two  at  a  time} 
the  whole  of  the  party  got  off  to  the  sloop,  by  a  repetition 
of  the  same  operation.  Church,  who  had  left  his  hat  at  a 
spring,  declared  that  the  enemy  should  not  have  it  as  a 
trophy  ;  and,  loading  his  gun  with  his  last  charge  of  pow 
der,  he  went  up  alone,  in  the  face  of  the  Indians,  and  re 
covered  it.  When  going  on  board  in  the  canoe,  a  ball 
struck  a  small  stake  just  before  his  breast,  and  another 
passed  through  his  hair. 

Joining  company  next  day  with  Fuller's  party,  who  had 
also  been  engaged  with  the  Indians  at  Pocasset,  they  all 
returned  to  the  encampment  at  Mount  Hope,  where  the 
army,  as  Church  averred,  "lay  still  to  cover  the  people 
from  nobody,  while  they  were  building  a  fort  for  nothing." 

Shortly  after  this,  being  upon  Rhode  Island,  in  pursuit 
of  supplies  for  the  garrison,  Church  fell  in  with  Alderman, 
a  deserter  from  the  forces  of  Weetamore,  queen  of  Pocas- 

16 


268  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

set.  By  conversation  with  this  Indian,  he  learned  the 
precise  spot  at  which  the  squaw  sachem  was  encamped, 
and,  in  pursuance  of  his  suggestion,  an  expedition  was  im 
mediately  set  on  foot  against  her.  The  attempt  terminated 
in  an  unimportant  skirmish ;  the  chief  officer  of  the  Plym 
outh  men  being  timid,  and  the  Indians  retiring  to  a  swamp 
of  difficult  access. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  the  united  forces  of  the  colonists 
drove  Philip,  with  a  large  body  of  his  warriors,  into  an 
extensive  swamp  in  Pocasset.  After  an  imperfect  exami 
nation  of  the  Indians'  place  of  retreat,  the  forces  were 
drawn  off,  having  sustained  considerable  loss  by  the  fire 
of  the  lurking  enemy.  It  was  averred,  indeed,  by  some, 
that  half  an  hour  more  of  energetic  pursuit  would  have 
secured  Philip,  and  perhaps  have  ended  the  war.  One 
hundred  newly-erected  wigwams  were  found  deserted  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  swamp ;  and  an  old  man,  who  had  been 
left  behind  in  the  precipitate  retreat,  confirmed  the  suppo 
sition  that  Philip  had  but  lately  fled  from  the  camp. 

Not  far  from  this  time,  the  town  of  Dartmouth  having 
been,  in  great  measure,  destroyed  by  the  enemy,  a  large 
number  of  Indians,  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  sixty, 
who  had  dwelt  in  the  country  thereabout,  and  were  not 
active  partakers  in  the  destruction  of  the  town,  delivered 
themselves  up  to  one  Captain  Eels,  upon  promises  of  good 
treatment.  They  were,  nevertheless,  taken  to  Plymouth  ; 
sold  by  the  colonial  authorities  as  slaves  ;  and  transported 
to  foreign  parts.  Captains  Church  and  Eels  made,  upon 
this  occasion,  the  most  vehement  remonstrances,  expressed 
by  Church  with  his  characteristic  energy  and  spirit ;  but 
all  to  no  purpose,  as  it  only  secured  him  the  ill-will  of  the 
government.  The  act  was  grossly  impolitic,  as  well  as 
perfidious  and  cruel. 

The  English  entertained  hopes  of  being  able  to  confine 
Philip  within  the  limits  of  the  swamp  to  which  he  had 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  269 

retired,  and  proceeded  to  erect  another  fort  at  Pocasset, 
an  expedient  which  seems  to  have  been  as  ill-advised  and 
futile  as  the  garrisoning  of  Mount  Hope.  The  sachem 
had  abundant  leisure  to  prepare  canoes,  an  opportunity  of 
which  he  diligently  availed  himself,  and  secretly  passed 
the  river  with  all  his  warriors.  They  were  seen  by  the 
people  of  Rehoboth,  crossing  the  open  country,  which  ex 
tended  for  some  distance,  and  offered  no  means  of  protec 
tion  or  concealment  to  the  fugitives. 

A  party  was  speedily  sent  in  pursuit,  under  Captain 
Henchman,  accompanied  by  Owenoco,  the  son  of  Uncas 
the  Mohegan,  and  a  considerable  band  of  warriors.  Un 
cas  had  sent  this  detachment  to  Boston,  upon  the  summons 
of  the  Massachusetts  authorities,  to  renew  his  assurances  of 
good  faith,  and  proffer  assistance  in  the  campaign  against 
Philip. 

Henchman's  company  proceeded  up  the  river  to  Provi 
dence,  and  being  there  somewhat  reenforced,  hastened  at 
once  on  the  trail  of  the  Wampanoag.  Coming  up  with  a 
portion  of  the  enemy,  a  sharp  engagement  ensued,  and 
about  thirty  of  Philip's  warriors  were  killed,  but  the  Mo- 
hegans  stopping  for  plunder,  the  principal  force  escaped, 
and  from  that  time  were  no  more  seen  by  the  pursuers. 
Henchman  returned  with  his  men  to  the  eastern  colonies, 
while  the  Mohegans  took  their  way  southward  to  their 
own  country,  leaving  Philip  to  pursue  his  course  towards 
the  Hudson,  and  to  rouse  up  the  war  among  the  western 
settlements  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Nipmucks,  a  large  tribe  inhabiting  the  north-eastern 
portion  of  the  present  state  of  Connecticut,  and  the  adjoin 
ing  Massachusetts  districts,  appear,  ere  this  period,  to  have 
become  involved  in  Philip's  undertaking.  Mendon,  a 
small  town,  twenty-four  miles  westward  from  Providence, 
and  standing  at  some  distance  from  any  other  settlement, 
had  been  attacked  on  the  14th  of  July,  and  a  number  of 


270  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

men  killed  by  shots  from  an  unseen  enemy.  The  whole 
of  the  inhabitants  deserted  the  place  in  terror,  and  it  was 
reduced  to  ashes  by  the  assailants. 

The  colonies  attempted,  after  this,  to  treat  with  the  Nip- 
muck  sachems,  but  found  them  reserved  and  (f  surly."  A 
meeting  was,  however,  appointed  between  them  and  an 
embassy  from  the  Massachusetts  government.  Captains 
Wheeler  and  Hutchinson,  with  a  considerable  body  of 
mounted  men,  repaired  to  the  place  of  meeting  at  the  time 
designated,  viz.  :  the  2d  of  August ;  but,  instead  of  coming 
forward  in  friendly  conference,  the  Indians,  to  the  number  of 
two  or  three  hundred,  formed  an  ambuscade,  and,  firing  sud 
denly  from  their  cover,  killed  eight  of  the  whites  at  the  first 
discharge.  Hutchinson  was  killed  and  Wheeler  wounded. 

The  company,  avoiding  the  other  spots  where  they  sus 
pected  the  enemy  to  be  lying  in  ambush,  made  the  best  of 
their  way  to  Brookfield,  a  solitary  village  near  the  prin 
cipal  head-quarters  of  the  Nipmucks.  The  Indians,  in 
great  numbers,  pursued  them  into  the  town.  They  found 
the  terrified  inhabitants  collected  in  a  single  house,  which 
stood  on  a  rising  ground,  where  they  had  fortified  them 
selves  as  well  as  possible,  upon  such  an  emergency,  by 
piling  logs  and  hanging  feather  beds  against  the  walls. 
Wheeler  and  his  companions  also  entered  the  house,  and 
the  savages,  after  burning  all  the  buildings  in  the  town, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  immediately  adjoining  that 
where  the  whites  had  retreated,  laid  close  siege  to  the  frail 
fortification.  Seventy  people,  including  women  and  chil 
dren,  were  here  crowded  together,  with  such  slight  de 
fences  as  we  have  mentioned ;  while  an  enraged  and 
remorseless  enemy  was  pouring  showers  of  bullets  through 
the  walls,  and  using  every  endeavor  to  fire  the  house. 
The  Indians  shot  burning  arrows  upon  the  roof,  and, 
attaching  rags  dipped  in  brimstone  to  long  poles,  they  set 
fire  to  them,  and  thrust  them  against  the  walls.  From  the 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  271 

afternoon  of  Monday  the  2d  of  August,  till  Wednesday 
evening,  these  assaults  continued  ;  and,  as  a  last  attempt, 
the  besiegers  loaded  a  cart  with  hemp  and  other  inflam 
mable  materials,  and  binding  together  a  number  of  poles, 
so  attached  to  the  vehicle  that  it  could  be  moved  from  a 
safe  distance,  wheeled  it  blazing  against  the  building.  This 
was  in  the  evening,  and,  according  to  Wheeler's  account, 
nothing  could  have  preserved  the  unfortunate  inmates,  had 
not  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  suddenly  extinguished  the 
burning  mass.  In  the  words  of  Hubbard,  by  "  this  devil 
ish  stratagem,"  but  for  the  rain,  "  all  the  poor  people 
would  either  have  been  consumed  by  merciless  flames,  or 
else  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  their  cruel  enemies,  like 
wolves  continually  yelling  and  gaping  for  their  prey." 

To  exclude  all  assistance  from  without,  the  Indians  had 
placed  watchers  and  ambuscades  upon  all  sides  of  the 
town;  but  Major  Willard,  who  had  been  despatched 
against  the  Indians  west  of  Groton,  hearing  of  the  prob 
able  condition  of  Brookfield,  marched  to  its  relief,  and 
succeeded  in  effecting  an  entrance  to  the  fortified  house  on 
this  same  night.  He  had  with  him  forty-six  men,  but  it 
is  said  that,  as  they  passed  through  the  ruins  of  the  town, 
a  large  number  of  terrified  cattle,  who  had  not  been  de 
stroyed  in  the  conflagration,  followed  them  for  protection  ; 
and  that,  in  the  darkness,  the  Indians  were  deceived  by 
this  circumstance,  as  to  the  number  of  the  party,  and 
accordingly  drew  off  their  forces  early  the  next  morning. 
They  retired  to  a  swamp,  twelve  miles  distant,  where  they 
met  Philip  with  a  band  of  his  warriors.  Only  one  of  the 
whites  was  killed  on  this  occasion,  while  the  Indians  lost, 
it  is  said,  nearly  eighty. 

A  garrison  was  maintained  at  the  only  remaining  house 
for  some  months,  but  was  finally  drawn  off,  the  building 
was  burned  by  the  savages,  and  the  town  left  entirely 
desolate. 


272  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

PHILIP  MOVES  WESTWARD.  —  ATTACKS  ON  HADLEY  AND  DEERFIELD.— 
GOFFE  THE  REGICIDE.  —  DESTRUCTION  OF  LATHROP'S  COMMAND.  — 
ASSAULTS  ON  SPRINGFIELD  AND  HATFIELD.  —  EXPEDITION  AGAINST 
THE  NARRAGANSETTS:  OUTRAGEOUS  CRUELTIES  IN  THEIR  REDUC 
TION.— PHILIP  ON  THE  HUDSON.  — DESTRUCTION  OF  LANCASTER, 
MEDFIELD,  SEEKONK,  GROTON,  WARWICK,  MARLBOROUGH,  ETC.— 
CANONCHET  TAKEN  AND  PUT  TO  DEATH.  — FURTHER  INDIAN  RAV 
AGES. 

"  All  died  —  the  wailing  babe  —  the  shrieking  maid  — 
And  in  the  flood  of  fire  that  scathed  the  glade, 
The  roofs  went  down."  —  BRYANT. 

WE  can  do  little  more,  in  continuing  this  account  of 
Indian  ravages,  than  enumerate  the  towns  and  settlements 
destroyed,  and  the  little  communities  massacred  or  driven 
from  their  homes  in  utter  destitution. 

The  terrible  uncertainty  which  attended  these  calamities 
rendered  them  the  more  distressing.  No  one  could  tell, 
for  many  months  from  this  time,  where  Philip  was  to  be 
found,  or  at  what  point  he  meditated  the  next  attack.  He 
continued  his  westward  progress,  as  is  supposed,  nearly  to 
the  Hudson,  through  the  Mohegan  country.  He  was 
thought  to  be  present  at  many  of  the  successful  and  mur 
derous  assaults  that  were  made  upon  the  white  settle 
ments  ;  but,  if  so,  he  was  enabled  so  to  disguise  himself 
as  not  to  be  distinctly  recognized. 

Mosely  and  others  in  vain  scoured  the  country  in  pur 
suit  of  the  Indians.  The  enemy,  neglecting  agriculture, 
and  deserting  their  usual  haunts,  concealed  themselves  in 
swamps  and  thickets,  retiring  unperceived  at  the  approach 
of  regular  troops,  and  ever  ready  to  take  advantage  of  any 
weak  and  unprotected  quarter. 

The  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Hadley  and  Springfield, 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  273 

on  the  Connecticut,  were  relied  upon  by  the  whites  as 
friendly  and  well-disposed ;  but  ere  long  it  was  sufficiently 
plain  that  they  had  made  common  cause  with  Philip. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  Hadley  and  Deerfield  were 
both  fiercely  assaulted,  and  the  latter  town  in  great  meas 
ure  destroyed.  At  Hadley  the  Indians  were  driven  off 
after  much  hard  fighting.  The  inhabitants  were  engaged 
in  religious  exercises  at  the  meeting-house,  with  arms,  as 
usual,  by  their  sides,  when  the  Indians  came  upon  them. 
So  sudden  and  desperate  was  the  attack,  that  they  became 
confused,  and  might  have  been  totally  discomfited,  but  for 
a  strange  and  unlooked-for  champion.  This  was  an  old 
man,  with  white  and  flowing  locks,  and  unusual  costume, 
who  appeared  from  some  unknown  quarter,  and  at  once 
assumed  the  command  of  the  panic-stricken  congregation. 
With  military  skill  and  coolness  he  directed  every  ma 
noeuvre,  and  so  reestablished  their  confidence  and  spirit, 
that  the  enemy  was  speedily  put  to  flight.  He  disappeared 
immediately  after  the  engagement,  and  many  of  the  aston 
ished  inhabitants  were  persuaded  that  an  angel  from  heaven 
had  been  miraculously  sent  for  their  deliverance. 

The  old  warrior  was  no  other  than  Major  General  GofFe, 
who,  with  his  companion,  Whalley,  lay  for  a  long  time  con 
cealed  at  'the  house  of  Mr.  Eussell,  the  minister  of  Hadley. 

Ten  men  were  killed  at  Northfield  about  this  time,  and 
a  party  of  thirty-six,  under  a  Captain  Beers,  who  had  been 
sent  to  relieve  the  town,  were  nearly  all  cut  off'  by  an 
ambush.  The  bodies  were  mutilated,  and  the  heads  set 
on  poles.  "  One,  (if  not  more,")  says  Hubbard,  "  was 
found  with  a  chain  hooked  into  his  under  jaw,  and  so  hung 
up  on  the  bough  of  a  tree,  (it  is  feared  he  was  hung  up 
alive.") 

Several  thousand  bushels  of  corn  had  been  stored  at 
Deerfield,  and  a  company  of  nearly  one  hundred  young 
men,  "  the  flower  of  the  country,"  under  the  command  of 


274  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

a  youthful  and  gallant  officer,  Captain  Lathrop,  marched 
to  secure  it.  On  their  way,  an  immense  body  of  Indians 
fell  upon  them,  and  slew  nearly  the  whole  party ;  among 
the  rest,  the  brave  commander ;  only  seven  or  eight  sur 
vived.  This  defeat  is  attributed  to  the  circumstance  that 
Lathrop,  aware  of  the  disadvantages  which  a  compact 
body  of  troops  must  labor  under,  when  contending  with 
an  enemy  who  always  fired  from  cover,  ordered  his  men 
to  separate,  and  take  to  the  trees,  like  their  opponents. 
This  being  done,  the  disproportion  of  numbers  proved  so 
great,  that  the  Indians  were  enabled  to  surround  the  Eng 
lish,  and  cut  them  off  separately. 

The  Springfield  Indians  had  pretended  unbroken  friend 
ship  for  the  whites,  and  had  given  hostages  as  pledges  of 
good  faith ;  but  the  hostages  succeeded  in  escaping,  and 
the  whole  body  joined  the  hostile  confederacy,  with  those 
of  Hadley,  "  hanging  together  like  serpents'  eggs."  The 
town  of  Springfield  received  great  injury  from  their  attack, 
more  than  thirty  houses  being  burned ;  among  the  rest, 
one  containing  a  "  brave  library,"  the  finest  in  that  part  of 
the  country,  which  belonged  to  the  Eev.  Pelatiah  Glover. 
Hubbard  considers  that  this  act  "  did,  more  than  any  other, 
discover  the  said  actors  to  be  the  children  of  the  devil,  full 
of  all  subtilty  and  malice,"  as  they  had  been  upon  friendly 
terms  with  the  whites  for  more  than  forty  years. 

On  the  19th  of  October,  seven  or  eight  hundred  of 
Philip's  coadjutors  made  an  attempt  upon  Hatfield ;  but, 
the  place  being  well  defended,  by  Mosely  and  others,  the 
enemy  "  were  so  well  entertained  on  all  hands,  that  they 
found  it  too  hot  for  them." 

This  was  the  last  important  engagement  at  the  westward 
part  of  the  colony.  Most  of  Philip's  men  are  supposed 
to  have  betaken  themselves,  before  winter,  to  the  Narra- 
gansett  country  ;  and  whether  the  great  sachem  himself 
remained  concealed  among  them  during  that  season,  or 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  275 

wandered  to  the  west,  hatching  new  plots  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Hudson,  is  not  certainly  known. 

The  condition  of  the  hostile  Indians,  notwithstanding 
their  signal  successes,  must  by  this  time  have  become  suf 
ficiently  miserable.  Living  almost  exclusively  upon  an 
imal  fo8tl ;  ill  protected  from  the  inclemencies  of  the 
weather  ;  and  continually  shifting  their  quarters,  it  is  sur 
prising  that  they  should  so  long  have  retained  their  energy 
and  fixedness  of  purpose. 

In  September  of  this  year,  1675,  the  commissioners  of 
the  united  colonies  of  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  Massa 
chusetts,  being  in  session  at  Boston,  concluded  arrange 
ments  by  which  the  war  should  be  jointly  and  systemati 
cally  prosecuted.  One  thousand  men  were  to  be  levied  and 
equipped  ;  the  proportion  which  each  colony  should  furnish 
being  settled  according  to  their  comparative  population  and 
resources. 

On  the  2d  of  November  it  was  agreed,  by  the  same 
body,  that  an  additional  force  should  be  raised,  and  active 
measures  be  taken  against  the  Narragansetts.  The  reasons 
alleged  for  attacking  this  tribe  were,  that  the  stipulation 
made  by  those  sachems,  who  had  treated  with  the  colonies 
to  deliver  up  all  of  Philip's  party  who  should  take  refuge 
at  Narragansett,  had  not  been  fulfilled ;  but  that  women, 
children,  and  wounded  men  had  been  succored  and  received 
by  them  !  In  addition  to  this,  some  of  the  tribe  had  ex 
pressed  satisfaction  upon  hearing  of  the  Indian  successes 
at  Hadley,  and  it  was  "  credibly  reported  "  that  they  had 
killed  and  taken  away  many -cattle  from  the  neighboring 
English.  These,  with  a  detention  of  a  Mr.  Smith  and  his 
family,  for  a  short  time,  —  no  other  harm  being  done 
them,  —  were  all  the  ostensible  grounds  upon  which  a  for 
midable  army  was  sent  to  exterminate  the  Narragansetts 
with  fire  and  sword  ! 

No  doubt  their  sympathies  were  with  those  of  their  own 


276  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

race,  and,  had  they  fully  joined  the  conspiracy,  the  addition 
of  so  numerous  a  tribe  to  the  enemy  might  have  turned  the 
scale,  and  resulted  in  the  annihilation  of  the  whites. 

Josias  Winslow,  governor  of  Plymouth  colony,  was 
chosen  commander-in-chief  of  the  English  force.  Church, 
at  the  request  of  Winslow,  joined  the  expedition/^flthough 
he  would  not  accept  of  a  commission.  A  considerable  body 
of  Mohegans,  subjects  of  Uncas,  accompanied  the  detach 
ment  from  Connecticut. 

After  destroying  many  deserted  wigwams,  and  taking  a 
considerable  number  of  prisoners  in  desultory  warfare,  a 
guide  was  obtained  to  pilot  the  invaders  to  the  chief  fort 
of  the  Narragansetts.  The  encampment  covered  five  or 
six  acres  of  elevated  ground,  forming  an  island  in  the 
midst  of  an  extensive  swamp.  In  addition  to  the  natural 
defences  of  the  place,  the  whole  village  was  surrounded 
by  a  strong  palisade,  and  the  only  means  of  approach  was 
by  crossing  the  marsh  upon  a  huge  fallen  tree.  The  wig 
wams  within,  to  the  number  of  five  or  six  hundred,  were 
rendered,  to  a  great  extent,  bullet-proof  by  piling  up  tubs 
of  grain  and  other  stores  about  the  sides. 

It  was  upon  the  19th  of  December,  early  in  the  after 
noon,  that  the  English  forces  reached  this  place  of  retreat. 
With  determined  and  desperate  courage  they  rushed  to  the 
attack.  File  after  file  of  soldiers,  with  their  officers  at 
their  head,  was  swept  from  the  narrow  bridge  by  the  fire 
of  a  party  within,  posted  in  a  log  hut,  from  which  the 
approach  was  commanded.  They  continued  to  press  on, 
and  succeeded  in  driving  the  Indians  from  this  covert  into 
the  main  enclosure.  A  scene  of  terrible  carnage  ensued 

O 

for  several  hours  ;  but  the  assailants  steadily  gained 
ground,  driving  many  of  the  enemy  into  the  swamp,  and 
covering  the  area  within  with  dead  bodies. 

Church,  who  had  made  an  excursion,  with  a  small  party, 
into  the  swamp,  to  attack  the  Indians  in  the  rear,  and  who, 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  277 

after  doing  good  service,  was  severely  wounded  in  the 
thigh,  seeing  some  setting  fire  to  the  wigwams,  made 
strenuous  efforts  to  prevent  their  destruction.  The  weath 
er  was  intensely  cold ;  night  was  coming  on ;  many  of  the 
troops  were  destitute  of  provisions ;  a  heavy  snow  storm 
was  brooding  ;  and  sixteen  miles  must  be  traversed  by 
the  army,  encumbered  by  their  wounded,  before  they  could 
reach  shelter.  He  represented  all  these  circumstances  to 
the  general,  pointing  out  the  advantages  of  obtaining  plen 
tiful  supplies  of  food,  and  a  warm  cover  where  the  wounded 
could  receive  requisite  attention.  We  will  hope  that  some 
feelings  of  humanity  towards  the  unfortunate  women  and 
children,  with  which  the  huts  were  crowded,  formed  a  part 
of  his  motives  for  this  advice. 

The  general  inclined  to  Church's  counsel,  but  other 
officers,  fearing  that  the  Indians  would  rally  and  attack 
them  in  force,  should  the  army  take  up  their  quarters  for 
the  night,  vehemently  opposed  him,  and  the  work  of  de 
struction  proceeded.  Now  was  reenacted  the  terrible  scene 
at  the  fort  of  the  Pequots.  Great  numbers  of  old  men, 
women,  and  children  were  burned  alive  in  the  blazing  wig 
wams,  or  mercilessly  slain  in  their  attempts  to  escape. 
Hubbard,  the  reverend  historian  of  the  Indian  wars,  speaks 
of  this  "firing  of  at  least  five  or  six  hundred  of  their 
smoky  cells,"  as  follows  :  The  Indians  were  about  pre 
paring  their  dinner  when  "  our  sudden  and  unexpected 
assault  put  them  beside  that  work,  making  their  cook- 
room  too  hot  for  them  at  that  time,  when  they  and  their 
mitchin  fried  together  ;  and  probably  some  of  them  ate 
their  suppers  in  a  colder  place  that  night  :  most  of  their 
provisions,  as  well  as  huts,  being  then  consumed  with  fire, 
and  those  that  were  left  alive  forced  to  hide  themselves  in 
a  cedar  swamp,  not  far  off,  where  they  had  nothing  to  de 
fend  them  from  the  cold  but  boughs  of  spruce  and  pine 
trees."  The  whole  town  was  reduced  to  ashes  ;  and,  leav- 


278  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

ing  the  enclosure  a  smoking  ruin,  every  where  strewn  with 
burned  and  mangled  corpses,  the  army  commenced  a  re 
treat,  worn  out  by  cold,  fatigue,  and  hunger.  Many  per 
ished  by  the  way,  and  many  more  must  have  died  from 
starvation,  but  for  the  fortunate  arrival  at  their  rendezvous 
of  a  vessel  from  Boston  with  provisions. 

Eighty  of  their  number  were  killed,^  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  wounded  in  the  engagement.  Besides  an  untold 
number  of  the  helpless  occupants  of  the  wigwams  who 
perished  in  the  flames,  it  was  supposed  that  not  far  from 
three  hundred  Indian  warriors  were  slain  outright,  and 
seven  hundred  wounded,  of  whom  many  died  from  expo 
sure  during  the  storm  and  cold  of  that  terrible  night. 

Most  of  the  survivors  of  the  tribe  fled  to  the  Nipmucks, 
after  some  inconclusive  negotiation  for  peace  with  the  Eng 
lish.  The  old  sachem  Ninigret  seems  to  have  been  inclined 
to  make  terms,  but  Canonicus,  or  Canonchet,  a  son  of  Mian- 
tonimo,  and  a  brave  and  energetic  chief,  nourished  the  most 
unyielding  hostility  towards  the  destroyer  of  his  people. 

On  the  10th  of  January,  an  Indian  was  found  concealed 
in  a  barn,  "but  after  he  was  brought  to  the  head-quar 
ters  "  (in  the  words  of  Hubbard)  "  he  would  own  nothing 
but  what  was  forced  out  of  his  mouth  by  the  woolding  of 
his  head  with  a  cord,  wherefore  he  was  presently  judged  to 
die,  as  a  Wampanoag." 

One  Tift,  an  English  renegade,  who  had  joined  the  In 
dians,  married  one  of  their  women,  and  assisted  them  in 
their  battles  with  the  whites,  was  taken  and  put  to  death. 

Winslow,  in  the  latter  part  of  January,  pursued  the 
Narragansetts  into  the  Nipmuck  country,  whither  they  had 
fled,  committing  divers  depredations  on  the  route,  and 
killed  about  seventy  of  those  whom  he  could  come  up 
with.  The  larger  portion,  however,  succeeded  in  joining 
the  forces  of  the  Nipmucks,  while  the  English  were  com 
pelled  to  return  to  the  settlement  for  want  of  provisions. 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  279 

Philip  is  supposed  to  have  fled  about  this  time  as  far 
west  as  the  Hudson  river,  where,  it  is  said,  "  the  Mohags 
(Mohawks)  made  a  descent  upon  him,  and  killed  many  of 
his  men,  which  moved  him  from  thence."  Some  authors, 
notwithstanding,  speak  of  him  as  having  been  present  at 
various  places  in  Massachusetts,  attacked  by  Indians  dur 
ing  the  latter  part  of  the  winter. 

About  the  10th  of  February,  (old  style,)  Lancaster  was 
"destroyed  by  a  large  force  of  the  enemy,  consisting  of  Nip- 
mucks,  Nashawas,  and  Narragansetts,  under  the  noted  Sag 
amore  Sam.  The  house  of  Mr.  Rowlandson,  the  minis 
ter,  which  was  garrisoned,  and  contained  fifty-five  persons, 
was  set  on  fire,  and  the  inmates  were  killed  or  made  cap 
tives.  More  than  twenty  women  and  children  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  assailants.  They  were,  most  of  them, 
well  treated  during  their  captivity,  the  Indians  te  offering 
no  wrong  to  any  of  their  persons  save  what  they  could 
not  help,  being  in  many  wants  themselves."  Mrs.  Row 
landson,  wife  of  the  minister,  was  among  the  prisoners, 
and  her  account  of  Indian  manners  and  peculiarities,  wit 
nessed  during  the  three  months  of  her  captivity,  are  ex 
ceedingly  interesting. 

Church  says  that  Philip's  next  "kennelling  place"  was 
at  the  falls  on  the  Connecticut,  and  he  probably  gave  di 
rections  concerning  many  of  the  devastations  committed  in 
February  and  March,  »if  not  personally  present  at  them. 

On  the  21st  of  February,  the  town  of  Medfield,  only 
about  twenty  miles  from  Boston,  was  mostly  destroyed. 
The  Indians  had  concealed  themselves,  during  the  previous 
night,  in  every  quarter  of  the  place,  and,  at  early  dawn, 
fired  about  fifty  buildings  simultaneously.  One  hundred 
and  sixty  soldiers  were  quartered  in  the  town,  but  so  sud 
den  and  well  concerted  was  the  attack,  that  it  was  impos 
sible  to  save  the  buildings  which  had  been  set  on  fire. 
Nearly  forty  of  the  inhabitants  were  killed  or  wounded. 


280  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Being  compelled,  at  last,  to  retreat  across  Charles  river, 
the  Indians  burned  the  bridge  behind  them,  and  left  a 
paper,  written  by  some  of  their  number  who  had  received 
education  from  the  English,  to  the  following  effect  : 
"Know,  by  this  paper,  that  the  Indians  whom  thou  hast 
provoked  to  wrath  and  anger,  will  war  this  £1  years  if  you 
will.  There  are  many  Indians  yet.  We  come  300  at  this 
time.  You  must  consider  the  Indians  lose  nothing  but 
their  life :  you  must  lose  your  fair  houses  and  cattle." 

One  account  states  that  Philip  himself  was  seen  at  this 
action,  "  riding  upon  a  black  horse,  leaping  over  fences, 
and  exulting  in  the  havoc  he  was  making." 

Through  the  months  of  February  and  March,  the  sav 
ages  met  with  signal  success.  Seekonk,  Groton,  and  War 
wick  were  destroyed ;  Northampton  was  assaulted ;  one 
house  was  burned  in  the  very  town  of  Plymouth,  and  a 
number  of  buildings  at  Weymouth,  only  eleven  miles  from 
Boston,  shared  a  similar  fate.  Thirty  houses  were  burned 
at  Providence.  Captain  Pierce,  of  Scituate,  who  hacl  been 
sent  with  a  party  of  fifty  whites  and  a  number  of  friendly 
Indians  on  an  excursion  against  the  enemy,  was  slain,  with 
the  entire  company  of  English.  Only  a  few  of  the  Indian 
allies  escaped. 

On  the  same  day,  Marlborough  was  destroyed,  with  the 
exception  of  the  houses  which  had  been  garrisoned.  This 
attack  was  probably  made  by  Philip  himself,  with  the  Nip- 
muck  and  Narragansett  Indians.  Continuing  their  march, 
they  did  much  damage  at  Sudbury,  and  "  met  and  swal 
lowed  up  valiant  Captain  Wads  worth  and  his  company," 
consisting  of  fifty  men,  with  whom  he  was  hastening  to  the 
relief  of  the  town. 

One  of  the  first  severe  reverses  experienced  by  Philip, 
was  the  capture  and  execution  of  the  younger  Canonicus 
or  Canonchet,  the  noblest  and  most  influential  of  the  Nar 
ragansett  sachems.  This  was  accomplished  by  a  party 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  281 

led  by  Captain  Dennison,  from  Connecticut,  consisting  of 
English,  Nehantic  Indians,  subject  to  Ninigret,  and  Mohe- 
gans,  under  the  command  of  Owenoco,  son  of  Uncas. 
Canonchet,  with  a  small  band  of  warriors,  came  to  Narra- 
gansett  early  in  April,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  seed- 
corn  for  his  people  in  the  western  settlements.  Dennison, 
having  heard  from  a  captive  squaw,  of  the  sachem's  prox 
imity,  pursued  and  took  him. 

The  proud  chief,  upon  his  capture,  being  addressed  by 
a  young  man  of  the  party,  according  to  Hubbard,  "  look 
ing,  with  a  little  neglect  upon  his  youthful  face,  replied  in 
broken  English  :  (  you  much  child :  no  understand  matters 
of  war  ;  let  your  brother  or  your  chief  come  : '  acting  herein 
as  if,  by  a  Pythagorean  metempsychosis,  some  old  Roman 
ghost  had  possessed  the  body  of  this  western  Pagan."  He 
was  carried  to  Stonington,  and  there  shot :  his  head  was 
sent  to  Hartford  as  a  trophy.  He  approved  his  sentence, 
saying  that  "  he  should  die  before  his  heart  was  soft,  and 
before  he  had  spoken  any  thing  unworthy  of  himself." 
He  had  been  Philip's  faithful  ally  to  the  last,  and  ever 
refused  to  "  deliver  up  a  Wampanoag,  or  the  paring  of  a 
Wampanoag's  nail,"  to  the  English.  Dennison  and  his 
men  afterwards  made  further  spoil  of  the  enemy,  killing 
and  capturing  a  large  number  of  the  Narragansetts. 

During  the  months  of  April  and  May,  twenty  or  thirty 
buildings  were  burned  in  Plymouth  ;  Taunton  and  Scituate 
were  attacked,  and  Bridgewater  sustained  no  small  injury 
from  an  assault  by  three  hundred  Indians,  under  the 
sachem  Tisguogen. 

Great  numbers  of  hostile  Indians  having  congregated  at 
the  falls  of  the  Connecticut,  during  the  month  of  May,  for 
the  purpose  of  fishing,  a  strong  force  of  soldiers  and  inhab 
itants  of  the  towns  on  the  river,  under  the  command  of 
Captains  Holyoke  and  Turner,  made  a  descent  upon  them. 
The  Indians  were  encamped  in  careless  security,  and,  the 


282  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

attack  being  made  in  the  night,  some  two  hundred  were 
killed,  or  drowned  in  attempting  to  escape  across  the  river. 
In  the  midst  of  this  success  it  was  reported  to  the  English, 
by  an  Indian,  that  Philip  in  person,  with  an  immense  force, 
was  coming  upon  them.  Commencing  a  retreat,  upon  this 
news,  the  Indians  recovered  from  their  panic,  and  pursuing 
the  party  from  which  they  had  so  recently  fled  in  con 
fusion,  killed  from  thirty  to  forty  of  their  number. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  six  hundred  Indians  attacked 
Hatfield,  and  burned  many  buildings,  but  the  place  was 
bravely  defended,  and  the  enemy  was  driven  off.  A  still 
larger  number,  about  a  fortnight  later,  assaulted  Hadley, 
but,  by  the  assistance  of  troops  from  Connecticut,  the  in 
habitants  successfully  repelled  them. 


CHAP'TER    VII. 

PHILIP'S  RETURN  TO   POKANOKET.  — MAJOR   TALCOTT'S   SUCCESSES 

CHURCH  COMMISSIONED  BY  THE  COURT  AT  PLYMOUTH.  —  HIS  IN 
TERVIEW  WITH  AWOSHONKS  ;  WITH  THE  SOGKONATES  AT  SAND 
WICH.— HIS  CAMPAIGN  AGAINST  THE  INDIANS.  —  PHILIP  SEEN  :  HIS 
WIFE  AND  SON  TAKEN.  — DEATH  OF  WEETAMORE,  QUEEN  OF  PO- 
CASSET.  — DEATH  OF  PHILIP. 

PHILIP'S  power  was  now  upon  the  decline :  his  forces 
were  discontented,  and  in  separate  bodies  wandered  about 
the  country,  undergoing  much  hardship  and  privation. 
Losing  influence  with  the  river  Indians,  and  unable  to 
concentrate  the  various  tribes,  with  effect,  he  returned  to 
his  old  quarters  in  the  vicinity  of  Narragansett  bay,  ac 
companied  by'  the  trusty  warriors  who  still  adhered  to 
him. 

Major  Talcott,  from  Connecticut,  with  a  body  of  mounted 
men,  accompanied  by  many  Mohegans  and  Pequots,  sig- 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  283 

nalized  himself  during  the  month  of  June,  by  several 
incursions  into  Narragansett.  On  a  single  occasion,  he 
killed  a  great  number  of  the  enemy,  and  took  from  one  to 
two  hundred  prisoners.  To  the  everlasting  disgrace  of 
the  whites  of  this  company,  they  allowed  their  Mohegan 
allies,  upon  one  occasion,  to  torture  to  death  a  young 
warrior  who  was  made  prisoner.  "  The  English,"  says 
Hubbard,  "  at  this  time  were  not  unwilling  to  gratify  their 
humor,  lest,  by  a  denial,  they  might  disoblige  their  Indian 
friends  —  partly,  also,  that  they  might  have  an  ocular 
demonstration  of  the  savage,  barbarous  cruelty  of  the 
heathen."  This  young  warrior  had  killed,  as  he  averred, 
many  Englishmen,,  and  now,  the  narrative  proceeds,  "  this 
monster  is  fallen  into  the  hands  of  those  that  will  repay 
him  seven-fold." 

The  Mohegans  cut  round  the  joints  of  his  fingers  and 
toes  successively,  and  then  "broke  them  off,  as  was  for 
merly  the  custom  to  do  with  a  slaughtered  beast."  The 
victim  bore  all  unflinchingly ;  replying  to  their  taunts, 
with  asseverations  that  he  "  liked  the  war  well,  and  found 
it  as  sweet  as  the  Englishmen  do  their  sugar."  They 
compelled  him  to  dance  and  sing  in  this  condition,  till  he 
had  "  wearied  himself  and  them,"  and  then  broke  his  legs. 
Sinking,  in  silence,  on  the  ground,  he  sat  till  they  finished 
his  miseries  by  a  blow.  Meanwhile,  the  English  stood  by, 
and,  although  the  sight  brought  tears  into  the  eyes  of  some 
of  them,  none  offered  to  interfere. 

Famine,  disease,  and  exposure  had,  by  this  time,  begun 
to  do  their  work  upon  the  miserable  outcasts  who  had  sp 
long  kept  New  England  in  terror. 

A  large  body  fled  westward,  pursued  by  troops  from 
Connecticut,  and,  after  sustaining  considerable  loss,  suc 
ceeded  in  joining  the  Mohicans  of  the  Hudson,  with  whom 
they  united,  and  formed  thereafter  a  portion  of  that  tribe. 

The  colonial  authorities  now  offered  terms  of  peace  to 
17 


284  INDIAN   RACES   OP  AMERICA. 

the  enemy,  promising  good  treatment  to  all  who  should 
surrender  and  deliver  up  their  arms,  with  the  exception 
of  notorious  offenders.  Within  a  few  weeks  from  this 
proclamation,  five  or  six  hundred  of  the  Indians  came  in 
and  submitted  to  the  English.  Some  of  their  chiefs,  and 
noted  warriors,  and  those  who  had  been  chiefly  concerned 
in  the  outrages  upon  the  settlements,  were  put  to  death ; 
the  others  had  lands  assigned  them  ;  were  disarmed,  and 
kept  under  the  surveillance  of  overseers. 

As  Church  took  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  final  reduc 
tion  of  Philip  and  his  chief  sachems,  we  will  now  briefly 
review  his  proceedings  during  this  summer  until  the  death 
of  Philip  and  the  close  of  the  war.  He  had  been  sum 
moned  to  Plymouth  in  the  spring,  to  assist  at  the  council 
of  war,  and,  at  that  time,  proffered  advice,  which,  if  ap 
proved  by  his  associates,  might  have  saved  much  havoc 
and  bloodshed.  His  plan  was  to  "  make  a  business  of  the 
war,  as  the  enemy  did  ;  "  to  employ  large  forces ;  to  enlist 
all  the  friendly  Indians  who  were  available,  and  to  pursue 
their  opponents  into  their  own  country,  and  fight  them  in 
their  own  manner.  Not  being  able  to  persuade  the  author 
ities  to  his  views,  he  remained  inactive,  with  his  family,  at 
Duxbury  and  on  Rhode  Island,  until  early  in  June,  when 
he  again  betook  himself  to  Plymouth,  where  he  was  gladly 
welcomed  by  the  general  court,  then  in  session.  The 
members  "  told  him  they  were  glad  to  see  him  alive.  He 
replied,  he  was  as  glad  to  see  them  alive,  for  he  had  seen  so 
many  fires  and  smokes  towards  their  side  of  the  country, 
since  he  left  them,  that  he  could  scarce  eat  or  sleep  with 
any  comfort,  for  fear  they  had  all  been  destroyed.  For  all 
travelling  was  stopped,  and  no  news  had  passed  for  a  long 
time  together." 

The  court  had  now  concluded,  according  to  Church's 
plan,  to  raise  a  large  force  of  English  and  Indians,  and 
eagerly  accepted  the  captain's  offer  of  cooperation.  He 


NEW   ENGLAND    INDIANS.  285 

was  to  return  to  Rhode  Island,  and  there  enlist  a  company 
for  the  campaign.  Reaching  Elizabeth's  Island,  he  could 
find  no  conveyance  homeward  other  than  a  canoe,  manned 
by  two  Indians.  Their  course  took  them  near  Sogkonate 
(commonly  called  Seaconnet)  point,  the  wild  mass  of  rocks 
which  juts  into  the  ocean,  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
Awoshonk's  domains.  Church  saw  some  of  the  Indians 
fishing  upon  the  rocks,  and  bethought  him  that  here  might 
be  further  opportunity  of  communicating  with  his  old 
friend,  the  squaw  sachem.  Notwithstanding  her  early 
counsel  with  Church,  she,  or  her  people,  against  her  incli 
nations,  had  been  drawn  into  Philip's  plans,  and  the  Sog- 
konates  had  taken  active  part  in  the  hostilities. 

The  canoe  was  soon  hailed  from  shore,  but  the  surf  beat 
so  heavily  against  the  rocks  that  the  reply  could  not  be 
heard.  Two  Indians,  one  of  whom  was  George,  the  inter 
preter,  therefore  came  out  upon  a  long  point  of  sand, 
where  Church  could  land  without  danger  of  being  sur 
prised,  and,  on  his  approach,  they  informed  him  that 
Awoshonks  had  left  Philip,  and  would  be  glad  to  have  a 
conference  with  him.  An  appointment  was  therefore  made 
for  a  meeting,  on  the  next  day  that  the  weather  would 
permit,  at  a  well-known  rock,  upon  the  Richmond  farm. 
None  were  to  be  present  except  the  queen,  her  son  Peter, 
and  Nompash,  an  Indian  known  to  Church. 

Arriving  at  Newport,  and  detailing  his  plans  to  the 
authorities,  they  pronounced  him  demented  to  think  of 
risking  himself  unprotected  among  such  a  body  of  the 
enemy.  He  replied  that  he  had  always  wished  for  an 
opportunity  to  confer  with  the  Sogkonates,  not  doubting 
but  that  he  could  secure  their  friendship,  and  that  he  was 
determined  to  prosecute  the  adventure. 

He  accordingly  crossed  over  the  next  day,  to  the  place 
appointed,  accompanied  only  by  "  his  own  man,"  and  the 
Indian  who  had  paddled  him  from  Elizabeth's.  He  was 


286  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

met  by  the  queen  and  the  other  two,  who  had  been  desig 
nated  ;  but,  upon  retiring  a  short  distance,  to  a  convenient 
spot  for  discussion,  a  crowd  of  armed  and  painted  warriors 
sprang  up  from  amid  the  long  grass  around  them. 

Church  betrayed  no  signs  of  surprise  or  fear,  but,  having 
first  obtained  directions  from  Awoshonks  that  the  Indians 
should  lay  down  their  guns,  he  pulled  out  a  bottle  of  rum, 
and  opened  the  conference  by  proffering  her  a  dram,  ask 
ing,  "  if  she  had  been  so  long  at  Weetuset  as  to  forget  to 
drink  Occapeches."  Having  first  swallowed  some  himself, 
from  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  to  quiet  any  suspicions  of 
treachery  that  she  might  entertain,  he  distiibuted  the  rest, 
together  with  some  tobacco  that  he  had  brought,  among 
those  standing  by.  He  then  answered  her  inquiries  as  to 
the  reasons  why  he  had  absented  himself  so  long,  using  all 
his  powers  of  persuasion  to  revive  her  old  friendship  for 
the  English ;  promising  favor  and  protection  from  the  gov 
ernment,  if  she  would  enlist  her  forces  against  Philip ;  and 
by  his  bold  and  frank  demeanor,  disarming  the  suspicions 
and  softening  the  surliness  of  the  warriors. 

At  one  time,  as  related  by  Church,  "  there  arose  a  mighty 
murmur,  confused  noise  and  talk  among  the  fierce-looking 
creatures  ;  and,  all  rising  up  in  a  hubbub,  a  great  surly- 
looking  fellow  took  up  his  tomhog,  or  wooden  cutlass,  to 
kill  Mr.  Church,  but  some  others  prevented  him." 

This  man  had  lost  a  brother  in  the  fight  at  Punkatese, 
but  Church  explained  how,  with  only  a  handful  of  men, 
he  had  been  suddenly  set  upon,  and  how  his  intentions 
were,  even  then,  friendly  to  the  Sogkonates, 

His  counsels  finally  prevailed,  and  it  was  agreed  that  an 
offer  of  services  should  be  made  at  Plymouth,  in  behalf  of 
the  tribe ;  five  men  being  chosen  to  accompany  Church  on 
the  embassy. 

Having  returned  to  Rhode  Island,  and,  with  much  dif 
ficulty,  procured  a  vessel,  Captain  Church  set  sail  for  Sog- 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  287 

konate,  whence  the  Indians  espied  him,  and  stood  waiting 
upon  the  rocks  with  an  old  canoe,  ready  to  come  on  board. 
The  sea  ran  so  high  that  no  one  but  Peter  Awoshonks  was 
able  to  reach  the  vessel ;  and  when,  after  much  danger  and 
trouble,  he  was  taken  in,  a  strong  head  wind  prevented 
the  prosecution  of  the  voyage,  and  all  returned  to  New 
port,  making  the  circuit  of  Rhode  Island. 

Church,  after  this  delay,  —  the  arrival  of  the  army  at 
Pocasset  being  shortly  expected,  —  was  unwilling  to  leave 
the  Island,  and  accordingly  sent  Peter  back  to  Sogkonate, 
with  directions  to  take  the  selected  number  of  his  com 
panions,  and  proceed  across  the  country  to  Plymouth,  with 
letters  for  the  governor. 

The  Plymouth  forces  reached  Pocasset,  under  command 
of  Major  Bradford,  and,  having  been  joined  by  Church, 
marched  to  Punkatese.  Awoshonks  and  most  of  her  war 
riors,  having  been  notified  to  attend,  came  to  this  place, 
and  proffered  their  services ;  but,  to  their  great  grief  and 
disappointment,  were  ordered  to  repair  to  Sandwich,  on 
the  coast  to  the  eastward,  and  await  further  directions 
from  the  government  at  Plymouth.  Church  advised  them 
to  comply  quietly,  and  promised  to  join  them  himself, 
within  a  week,  with  a  commission  to  employ  them,  if  he 
could  obtain  it. 

During  the  ensuing  week,  according  to  the  opinion  of 
some,  an  opportunity  was  lost  of  surprising  and  destroy 
ing  nearly  the  whole  of  Philip's  remaining  force,  who  had 
gone  to  Wcpoiset,  in  search  of  clams ;  provisions  being 
very  scarce  with  them. 

Captain  Church,  with  only  one  companion,  rode  from 
Rehoboth  to  Plymouth,  starting  at  sunset,  and  reaching 
the  town  early  in  the  morning.  He  there  saw  the  gov 
ernor,  who  had  received  the  messengers  from  Sogkonate 
with  favor,  and  who  readily  promised  him  the  desired 
commission,  and  ratified  his  agreement  with  Awoshonks. 


288  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Not  finding  the  Indians  at  Sandwich,  Captain  Church, 
with  a  few  companions,  proceeded  along  the  coast,  and 
finally  came  upon  the  whole  tribe,  scattered  over  the  level 
sand-beach,  engaged  in  various  occupations  and  diver 
sions —  "A  vast  company  of  Indians,  of  all  ages  and  sexes, 
some  on  horse-back  running  races,  some  at  foot-ball,  some 
catching  eels  and  flat-fish,  some  clamming,  &c." 

He  was  received  by  Awoshonks  and  her  chiefs,  and 
royally  entertained.  When  night  came  on,  an  immense 
heap  of  dry  pine  branches  and  other  fuel  was  set  on  fire, 
and  all  the  Indians,  gathering  round  it,  commenced  those 
dances  and  ceremonies  deemed  by  them  so  essential  in 
cementing  a  league,  or  in  entering  upon  any  important 
adventure. 

A  stout  chief  would  step  within  the  circle,  armed  with 
spear  and  hatchet,  and  appear  to  fight  the  fire,  with  every 
gesture  and  expression  of  energy  and  fury,  naming  suc 
cessively  the  several  hostile  tribes  ;  "  and,  at  the  naming  of 
every  particular  tribe  of  Indians,  he  would  draw  out  and 
fight  a  new  fire-brand,  and  at  finishing  his  fight  with  each 
particular  fire-brand,  would  bow  to  him  and  thank  him." 
He  would  then  retire,  and  another  would  repeat  the  same 
operation,  "with  more  fury,  if  possible,  than  the  first." 

Awoshonks  and  the  chiefs  told  Church  that  hereby  they 
were  his  sworn  soldiers,  and,  one  and  all,  at  his  service. 
He  therefore  selected  a  number  of  them,  and  took  them  to 
Plymouth  the  next  day,  where  he  was  regularly  commis 
sioned,  by  Governor  Winslow,  to  raise  volunteers,  both 
English  and  Indian ;  to  fight  the  enemy  at  his  discretion ; 
and  to  make  treaty  and  composition  with  any,  as  he  should 
see  reason,  "provided  they  be  not  murderous  rogues,  or 
such  as  have  been  principal  actors  in  those  villanies."  The 
commission  was  given,  under  the  public  seal,  the  24th  day 
of  July,  1676. 

Being  now  furnished  with  a  sufficient  force,  and  being 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  289 

at  liberty  to  carry  out  his  own  plans.  Church  commenced 
a  vigorous  and  effective  campaign.  Spreading  through 
the  forest  with  his  men,  keeping  himself  continually  in 
formed  by  scouts  of  the  position  and  number  of  the  en 
emy,  and  following  up  his  advantages  with  unwearied 
energy,  he  reduced  his  opponents  to  the  greatest  straits. 
The  army,  under  Bradford,  remained  at  Taunton  and  vi 
cinity,  cutting  off  Philip's  return  from  the  eastward,  while 
Church  and  his  corps  scoured  the  woods,  surprising  and 
killing,  or  taking  captive,  large  numbers  of  hostile  Indians. 

On  one  occasion,  he  fell  in  with  Little  Eyes,  the  Sog- 
konate  who  attempted  to  make  way  with  him  at  the  first 
interview  with  Awoshonks,  and  who  had  separated  from 
the  rest  of  the  tribe  with  a  few  companions.  His  Indian 
allies  urged  Church  -to  take  this  opportunity  for  revenging 
himself;  but  he  refused,  and  showed  the  unfriendly  chief 
quarter  and  protection. 

Philip  and  his  party,  chiefly  Narragansetts,  anxious  to 
effect  a  retreat  to  the  Narragansett  country,  came  to  the 
banks  of  Taunton  river,  and  felled  a  large  tree  over  the 
stream  for  the  purpose  of  crossing.  At  this  spot,  Church, 
with  his  company  and  a  detachment  from  Bridgewater, 
attacked  him  on  the  1st  of  August.  As  the  English 
secretly  approached  the  fallen  tree,  a  single  warrior  was 
seen  seated  upon  the  stump  across  the  river,  and  as  Church 
was  taking  aim  at  him,  one  of  his  Indian  followers  called 
to  him  not  to  fire,  thinking  that  it  was  a  man  of  their  own 
party.  At  this  moment  the  Indian  sprang  from  the  stump, 
and  effected  his  escape  down  the  river-bank  ;  but  as  he 
turned  his  face,  he  was  distinctly  recognized  to  be  Philip 
himself. 

The  whole  body  of  the  enemy  then  scattered  and  fled 
through  the  woods,  but  succeeded  in  effecting  a  passage 
of  the  river  at  a  ford,  some  distance  bey oiid,, hotly  pur 
sued  by  the  English.  Many  women  and  children  were 


290  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

captured ;  among  the  rest,  Philip's  wife,  Wootonekanuske, 
and  his  son,  a  lad  only  nine  years  of  age.  The  Sogko- 
nates,  following  closely  upon  the  fugitives,  killed  several, 
and  made  thirteen  prisoners. 

As  the  flight  was  continued,  the  women  and  children 
became  wearied,  and,  being  unable  to  keep  pace  with  the 
company,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  pursuers.  They  were 
ordered  to  follow  the  trail,  and  were  assured  that,  if  sub 
missive  and  obedient,  they  should  be  the  more  favorably 
treated. 

Philip  and  his  band,  being  suddenly  surprised,  while 
they  were  busily  engaged  in  preparing  breakfast,  fled  into 
a  swamp,  leaving  "  their  kettles  boiling,  and  meat  roasting 
upon  their  wooden  spits."  Here  they  were  hemmed  in, 
and,  after  some  hard  fighting,  no  less  than  one  hundred 
and  seventy-three,  including  those  who  had  followed  the 
party,  as  directed,  were  taken  prisoners  or  killed.  A  large 
division  of  these  were  so  surprised  and.  panic-struck  by  the 
number  and  determination  of  the  pursuers,  that  they  "  stood 
still  and  let  the  English  come  and  take  the  guns  out  of  their 
hands,  when  they  were  both  charged  and  cocked."  Philip, 
and  some  of  his  principal  chiefs,  escaped. 

The  prisoners,  having  been  well  supplied  with  food, 
were  confined  in  the  pound,  at  Bridgewater,  and  passed 
the  night  in  merriment,  expressing  little  despondency  or 
apprehension.  They  reported  Philip's  condition  and  frame 
of  mind  as  being  miserable  in  the  extreme.  His  wife  and 
son  made  prisoners  ;  his  allies  overpowered,  or  treach 
erous  ;  reverses  coming  thick  upon  him ;  and  his  force 
dwindling  to  a  handful  of  warriors,  nothing  but  destruc 
tion  seemed  to  await  him. 

On  the  6th  of  August,  Weetamore,  queen  of  Pocasset, 
and  widow  of  Alexander,  Philip's  eldest  brother,  who 
throughout  the  war  had  been  a  most  valuable  and  faithful 
coadjutor  to  her  brother-in-law,  perished  in  attempting  to 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  291 

escape  over  the  Tehticut  river,  into  her  own  country,  upon 
a  raft.  She  had  been  surprised,  with  twenty-six  of  her 
subjects,  who  were  all  taken  prisoners.  The  dead  body 
of  the  poor  queen  was  found  stark  naked,  near  the  river 
bankfr  where  she  had  probably  crouched,  half  drowned,  and 
died  from  exposure  and  famine.  Her  head  was  cut  off  by 
those  who  discovered  her,  and  fixed  upon  a  pole  at  Taun- 
ton,  where  it  was  recognized  by  some  of  her  loving  subjects 
kept  there  in  captivity.  Their  burst  of  unrestrainable  grief 
at  the  sight,  is  characterized  by  Mather  as  "  a  most  horrid 
and  diabolical  lamentation." 

Church  returned  to  Plymouth,  where  he  received  the 
thanks  and  gratulations  of  the  authorities,  but  was  allowed 
little  rest,  as  some  of  the  enemy,  under  the  great  sachem 
Totoson,  were  lurking  around  Dartmouth,  and  his  aid  was 
required  to  dislodge  them.  The  expedition  was  successful, 
but  Totoson,  with  an  old  squaw  and  his  little  son,  escaped. 
The  squaw  afterwards  came  to  Sandwich,  and  reported  the 
chief's  death,  saying  that,  "  reflecting  upon  the  miserable 
condition  he  had  brought  himself  into,  his  heart  became  a 
stone  within  him,  and  he  died."  She  said  that  she  had 
covered  his  body  with  a  few  leaves  and  brush. 

Worn  out  by  hard  service,  hard  fare,  and  exposure,  Cap 
tain  Church  now  sought  to  recruit  his  strength  by  rest ; 
but,  being  urged  by  the  government  to  pursue  Philip  to 
the  death,  and  receiving  promises  of  satisfaction  for  former 
neglect,  he  marched  to  Pocasset  with  a  company  of  volun 
teers,  and  thence  crossed  over  to  Rhode  Island. 

He  there  visited  his  wife,  whom  he  had  left  at  a  Mrs. 
Sandford's,  and  who  fainted  with  surprise  and  joy  at 
meeting  him  alive  ;  but  hardly  had  the  first  greetings 
been  exchanged,  when  tidings  came  post  that  Philip  was 
to  be  found  at  his  old  quarters  in  Mount  Hope  neck.  The 
horses  upon  which  Church  and  his  companions  had  just 
arrived  stood  at  the  door ;  and,  telling  Mrs.  Church  that 


292  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

"she  must  content  herself  with  a  short  visit  when  such 
game  was  ahead,"  they  all  mounted  and  spurred  off. 

They  learned  from  the  deserter  who  had  brought  the 
intelligence,  that  Thilip  was  encamped  upon  a  spot  of  dry 
land  in  a  swamp  hard  by  the  mount;  and  Church,  ieing 
well  acquainted  with  the  locality,  lost  no  time  in  taking 
advantage  of  his  information.  He  crossed  the  ferry  with 
his  men,  and  approached  the  spot  during  the  night.  Hav 
ing  distributed  a  portion  of  the  force  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  command  all  the  places  where  the  enemy  would  be  like 
ly  to  attempt  escape,  another  detachment,  under  Captain 
Golding,  proceeded  to  "  beat  up  Philip's  head-quarters  ;  " 
with  directions  to  make  all  the  noise  possible,  while  pur 
suing  the  fugitives,  that  they  might  be  known  by  those 
who  lay  in  ambush. 

The  Indians,  startled  by  the  first  fire,. rushed  into  the 
swamp,  with  Philip  at  their  head.  Half  clothed,  and 
flinging  his  "  petunk  "  and  powder-horn  behind  him,  the 
doomed  chief  came,  at  full  speed,  fully  within  range  of  the 
guns  of  an  Englishman  and  an  Indian,  who  lay  concealed 
at  one  of  the  points  of  ambuscade. 

The  white  man's  gun  snapped,  but  the  fire  of  his  com 
panion  was  fatal.  Philip  fell  upon  his  face  in  the  mire, 
shot  through  the  heart.  This  event  took  place  early  in 
the  morning  of  Saturday,  the  12th  of  August,  1676. 

Thus  the  main  object  of  the  campaign  was  accomplished  ; 
but  most  of  the  hostile  party  managed  to  escape.  Among 
them  was  the  old  chief,  Annawon,  a  great  captain  under 
Philip,  and  Massasoit,  his  father.  He  "  seemed  to  be  a 
great  surly  old  fellow,"  hallooing,  with  a  loud  voice, 
"  lootash  —  lootash  !  "  Peter,  Church's  man,  said  that  he 
Was  calling  on  his  men  to  fight  bravely,  and  hold  their 
ground. 

Several  of  Church's  Indians  dragged  the  body  of  poor 
Philip  out  of  the  mire,  "  and  a  doleful,  great,  naked  beast 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  293 

he  looked."  By  the  direction  of  the  captain,  who  averred 
that,  having  (t  caused  many  an  Englishman's  body  to  be 
unburied  and  to  rot  above  ground,  not  one  of  his  bones 
should  be  buried,"  one  of  the  Indians  beheaded  and  quar 
tered  the  body  of  the  fallen  sachem,  as  was  the  custom 
towards  traitors.  The  old  executioner,  who  was  appointed 
to  this  office,  first  made  a  short  speech,  which,  but  that  it 
was  rather  more  coarsely  expressed,  might  remind  one  of 
the  exultation  of  the  heroes  of  Homer  over  a  conquered  foe. 
However  far  removed  from  that  absurd  and  morbid  sen 
sibility  which  perceives  greater  tokens  of  depravity  in  an 
indignity  offered  to  a  senseless  carcass  than  in  acts  of  cru 
elty  and  injustice  towards  the  living,  we  do  not  care  to  de 
fend  this  act  of  Church.  One  of  Philip's  hands,  which 
had  been  formerly  marred  by  the  bursting  of  a  pistol,  was 
given  to  Alderman,  the  Indian  who  shot  him.  The  exhi 
bition  of  it  proved  a  source  of  no  small  profit.  The  head 
was  long  exposed  at  Plymouth,  and  the  devout  Mather 
exults  in  having,  with  his  own  hand,  displaced  the  jaw  from 
the  skull  of  "that  blasphemous  leviathan." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PURSUIT  OF  ANNA  WON  AND  HIS  PARTY.  —  DARING  PROCEDURE  OF  CAP. 
TAIN  CHURCH.  — END  OF  THE  WAR,  AND  FINAL  DISPOSAL  OF  PRIS 
ONERS.  —  SUMMARY  OF  THE  COLONIAL  LOSSES. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Philip,  the  company  returned  to 
Plymouth,  and  received,  as  premium  for  their  services, 
thirty  shillings  for  each  Indian  killed  or  taken. 

Toward  the  end  of  August,  Church  was  again  called 
from  Plymouth  to  go  in  pursuit  of  Annawon,  who,  with 
the  feeble  remains  of  his  force,  was  scouring  the  country 


294  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

around  Rehoboth  and  Swansey.  He  accordingly  took  a 
few  faithful  soldiers,  with,  his  brave  and  tried  lieutenant, 
Jabez  Howland,  and  hastened  through  the  woods  to  Pocas- 
set.  He  intended  passing  the  Sabbath  on  Rhode  Island, 
but  hearing  that  Indians  had  been  seen  crossing  from 
Prudence  Island  to  Poppasquash  Neck,  he  hastened  at 
once  in  quest  of  them.  As  they  were  passing  the  river  in 
canoes,  so  heavy  a  gale  sprang  up  that,  after  the  captain 
and  fifteen  or  sixteen  Indians  were  over,  the  boats  could 
no  longer  venture.  Without  waiting  for  their  English 
companions,  this  little  company  marched  round  through 
the  northern  part  of  the  present  town  of  Bristol,  and 
spreading  across  the  narrow  portion  of  the  neck,  sent 
scouts  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the  enemy.  They  there 
passed  "  a  very  solitary,  hungry  night,"  having  no  provis 
ions.  Early  in  the  morning,  Nathaniel,  an  Indian  of  the 
scouting  party,  appeared,  and  told  how  he,  with  his  com 
panion,  had  taken  ten  prisoners,  by  lying  concealed,  and 
attracting  the  enemy's  attention,  by  howling  like  a  wolf. 
One  after  another,  they  would  run  to  see  what  caused  the 
noise,  and  Nathaniel,  "  howling  lower  and  lower,  drew 
them  in  between  those  who  lay  in  wait."  They  afterwards 
secured  the  wives  and  children  of  these  captives,  all  of 
whom  said  that  Annawon  never  "  roosted  twice  in  a  place," 
but  continually  shifted  his  quarters.  They  represented 
Annawon  as  the  bravest  and  most  subtle  of  all  Philip's 
warriors,  and  said  that  the  men  who  still  adhered  to  him 
were  valiant  and  resolute. 

An  old  Indian,  accompanied  by  a  young  squaw,  were 
next  taken,  both  of  whom  had  come  direct  from  the  great 
chief's  encampment,  which  was  in  Squannaconk  swamp, 
in  the  south-easterly  part  of  Rehoboth.  The  old  man,  in 
consideration  that  his  life  was  spared,  agreed  to  pilot 
Church  to  the  spot,  but  begged  that  he  might  not  be  com 
pelled  "  to  fight  against  Captain  Annawon,  his  old  friend." 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  295 

It  was  a  bold  act,  indeed,  on  the  part  of  Church,  to  under 
take  the  capture  of  such  a  warrior,  with  so  small  a  force ; 
for,  having  been  obliged  to  send  some  back  with  the  pris 
oners,  only  half  a  dozen  Indians  now  accompanied  him. 
He  was  not  a  man  to  let  slip  an  opportunity,  and  started 
at  once  for  the  camp,  having  much  ado  to  keep  pace  with 
the  hardy  old  Indian  who  led  the  way. 

Annawon's  "  camp  or  kennelling  place,"  was  pitched  in 
a  recess  in  a  ledge  of  precipitous  rocks,  which  stood  upon 
a  rising  ground  in  the  swamp,  and  the  only  way  to  ap 
proach  it  unperceived  was  by  clambering  down  the  cliff. 
It  was  night  when  Church  arrived  there;  stopping  the 
guide  with  his  hand,  he  crawled  to  the  edge  of  the  rock, 
and  looked  down  upon  the  scene  below.  Annawon's  hut 
consisted  of  a  tree  felled  against  the  wall  of  rock,  with 
birch  bushes  piled  against  it.  Fires  were  lit  without,  over 
which  meat  was  roasting,  and  kettles  were  boiling,  and  the 
light  revealed  several  companies  of  the  enemy.  Their 
arms  were  stacked  together,  and  covered  with  a  mat,  and 
in  close  proximity  to  them  lay  old  Annawon  and  his  son. 
An  old  squaw  was  pounding  corn  in  a  mortar,  and,  as  the 
noise  of  her  blows  continued,  Church,  preceded  by  the 
guide  and  his  daughter,  and  followed  by  his  Indian  allies, 
let  himself  down  by  the  bushes  and  twigs  which  grew  in 
the  crevices  of  the  rock.  "With  his  hatchet  in  his  hand, 
he  stepped  over  the  younger  Annawon,  who  drew  himself 
into  a  heap,  with  his  blanket  over  his  head,  and  reached 
the  guns.  The  old  chief  sat  up,  crying  out  "  Howoh ! " 
but,  seeing  that  he  was  taken,  lay  down  again  in  silence. 
The  rest  of  the  company  made  no  resistance,  supposing 
that  the  English  were  upon  them  in  force.  Church's  In 
dians,  goiiig  among  them,  enlarged  upon  his  benevolence 
and  kindness,  and  advised  them  to  submit  quietly,  which 
they  did,  delivering  up  all  their  arms. 

Annawon  ordered  his  women  to  get  supper  for  Captain 


296  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Church  and  his  men,  and  they  all  supped  together  in  har 
mony.  The  captain,  wearied  out  by  long  watching  and 
labor,  now  tried  to  get  a  little  sleep,  but  was  unable  to 
compose  himself.  Looking  round,  he  saw  the  whole  party, 
friends  and  foes,  sleeping  soundly,  with  the  exception  of 
Annawon  ;  and  there  lay  the  two  rival  leaders,  looking  at 
each  other  for  near  an  hour. 

Annawon  then  got  up  and  retired  a  short  distance,  and, 
as  he  did  not  immediately  return,  Church  suspected  that  he 
might  have  secured  a  gun,  with  intent  to  despatch  him,  and 
therefore  crept  close  to  young  Annawon,  as  security.  The 
old  man  soon  reappeared,  bringing  with  him  Philip's  re 
galia,  and,  kneeling  clown  before  Church,  to  his  great  sur 
prise  addressed  him  in  English  :  "  Great  captain,  you  have 
killed  Philip  and  conquered  his  country ;  for  I  believe  that 
I  and  my  company  are  the  last  that  war  against  the  Eng 
lish,  so  suppose  the  war  is  ended  by  your  means,  and  there 
fore  these  things  belong  to  you."  He  then  handed  him 
two  broad  belts  elaborately  worked  in  wampum,  one  of 
which  reached  from  the  shoulders  nearly  to  the  ground, 
"edged  with  red  hair,  from  the  Mahog's  country ;  "  two  horns 
of  powder,  and  a  red  cloth  blanket.  He  said  that  Philip 
used  to  ornament  himself  with  these  upon  great  occasions. 

All  night  long  the  two  captains  continued  their  converse, 
and  Annawon  detailed  his  adventures,  and  "  gave  an  ac 
count  of  what  mighty  success  he  had  formerly,  in  wars 
against  many  nations  of  Indians,  when  he  served  Asum- 
equin  (Massasoit),  Philip's  father." 

The  next  day  the  party  proceeded  to  Taunton,  and 
Church,  with  Annawon  in  his  company,  went  to  Rhode 
Island,  and  so  on  to  Plymouth.  There,  to  his  great  sor 
row,  the  authorities  refused  to  spare  the  old  chief,  but  put 
him  to  death.  At  the  same  time  they  executed  Tispaquin, 
the  last  of  Philip's  great  sachems,  who  had  surrendered 
himself  upon  promise  of  mercy. 


NEW  ENGLAND  INDIANS.  297 

The  war  was  now  at  an  end,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
"hunting  excursions,"  after  some  stragglers  of  Philip's 
men  who  yet  lurked  in  the  woods.  Such  of  the  prisoners, 
now  in  the  hands  of  the  English,  as  had  been  active  in 
hostilities,  were  put  to  death  :  the  rest  were  sold  in  slavery 
in  the  colonies,  or  sent  to  toil  in  the  "West  Indies.  -  It  was 
much  discussed  whether  the  poor  boy  who  was  so  culpable 
as  to  be  the  son  of  Philip,  should  die.  The  clergymen 
seemed  inclined  to  the  belief  that  such  should  be  his  fate  \ 
Increase  Mather  cited  the  case  of  Hadad,  saying  that, 
"  had  not  others  fled  away  with  him,  I  am  apt  to  think 
that  David  would  have  taken  a  course  that  Hadad  should 
never  have  proved  a  scourge  to  the  next  generation."  He 
was  finally  sent  a  slave  to  Bermuda. 

Baylies  thus  sums  up  the  disasters  of  the  eventful  period 
of  Philip's  hostilities  :  "  In  this  war,  which  lasted  but  little 
more  than  a  year  and  a  half,  six  hundred  Englishmen  were 
killed.  Thirteen  towns  in  Massachusetts,  Plymouth,  and 
Hhode  Island,  were  destroyed,  and  many  others  greatly 
injured.  Almost  every  family  had  lost  a  relative.  Six 
hundred  dwelling-houses  had  been  Burned.  A  vast  amount, 
in  goods  and  cattle,  had  been  destroyed,  and  a  vast  debt 
created.  But  the  result  of  the  contest  was  decisive ;  the 
enemy  was  extinct ;  the  fertile  wilderness  was  opened,  and 
the  rapid  extension  of  settlements  evinced  the  growing 
prosperity  of  New  England." 


298  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  EASTERN  INDIANS. —THEIR  FRIENDLY  DISPOSITION.  —  SEIZURE 
OF  THOSE  IMPLICATED  IN  PHILIP'S  CONSPIRACY.  —  FRENCH  AND  IN 
DIAN  WAR  OF  1689. —  ATTACK  ON  COCHECO. —  MURDER  OF  MAJOR 
WALDRON.  — WAR  OF  1705.  — CHURCH'S  LAST  CAMPAIGN.  —  WAR  OF 
1722.  —  CAPTAIN  JOHN  LOVEWELL. 

THE  services  of  Captain  Benjamin  Church,  in  the  early 
Indian  campaigns,  did  not  end  with  the  death  of  Philip 
and  the  reduction  of  the  hostile  tribes  united  by  that  chief 
in  enmity  against  the  colonists.  In  the  war  which  after 
wards  broke  out  with  the  Indians  of  New  Hampshire  and 
Maine,  the  old  soldier  was  again  called  upon  to  take  the 
field. 

Our  accounts  of  the  early  history  of  these  Eastern  tribes 
are  not  very  voluminous  or  connected.  Some  description  is 
given,  in  Captain  John  Smith's  narrative,  of  the  government 
and  division  of  the  nations  and  tribes  on  the  coast ;  and, 
in  subsequent  times,  tales  of  noted  sagamores  and  warriors, 
with  detached  incidents  of  adventure,  are  not  wanting  in 
interest. 

The  first  English  settlers  in  Maine  and  New  Hampshire 
had  little  to  complain  of  in  the  treatment  they  received 
from  the  aboriginal  inhabitants :  according  to  Hubbard, 
"  Ever  since  the  first  settling  of  any  English  plantation 
in  those  parts  about  Kennebeck,  for  the  space  of  about  fifty 
years,  the  Indians  always  carried  it  fair,  and  held  good 
correspondence  with  the  English,  until  the  news  came  of 
Philip's  rebellion  and  rising  against  the  inhabitants  of 
Plymouth  colony  in  the  end  of  June,  1675  ;  after  which 
time  it  was  apprehended  by  such  as  had  the  examination 
of  the  Indians  about  Kennebeck,  that  there  was  a  general 
surmise  amongst  them  that  they  should  be  required  to 


CATTALN  RENJAMIN  CHURCH 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  301 

assist  the  said  Philip,  although  they  would  not  own  that 
they  were  at  all  engaged  in  the  quarrel." 

When  Philip's  forces  were  destroyed  or  dispersed,  many 
of  them  took  refuge  at  the  East,  and  the  search  for  and 
seizure  of  these  served  to  arouse  and  keep  alive  hostile 
feelings  which  might  otherwise  have  slumbered.  By  the 
contrivance  of  Major  Waldron,  a  noted  character  among 
the  first  settlers  at  Cocheco  (afterwards  Dover)  in  New 
Hampshire,  some  four  hundred  Indians,  of  various  tribes, 
were  decoyed  into  the  power  of  the  colonial  troops  by 
the  pretence  of  a  sham-fight  exhibition.  They  were  then 
examined,  and  all  who  were  adjudged  to  have  been  con 
nected  with  the  war,  to  the  number  of  over  two  hundred, 
were  sent  to  Boston,  where  eight  or  ten  of  them  were 
hanged,  and  the  rest  were  sold  as  slaves. 

Many  scenes  of  depredation  and  bloodshed  are  described 
by  historians  of  those  early  times  previous  to  the  regular 
campaigns  of  1689  and  the  years  ensuing,  against  the 
French  and  Indians.  During  the  war  of  1675-6,  connected 
with  Philip's  conspiracy,  the  most  important  affairs  were 
the  burning,  by  the  Indians,  of  the  towns  of  Casco  and 
Saco.  Under  the  administration  of  Sir  Edmund  Andross, 
the  conflicting  claims  to  territory  in  Maine,  between  the 
Baron  of  St.  Castine  and  English  proprietors,  brought 
about  a  war  in  which  the  neighboring  Indian  tribes  were 
involved.  With  their  usual  success,  the  French  excited 
the  eastern  Indians  to  espouse  their  cause,  and  a  series  of 
depredations  upon  the  English  colonists  ensued. 

At  Cocheco  (Dover),  Major  Waldron  was  still  in  author 
ity,  with  a  considerable  force  und£r  his  command,  occu 
pying  five  fortified  buildings.  In  the  summer  of  1689,  a 
party  of  Indians  planned  an.  attack 'upon  this  post,  as  well 
to  strike  a  signal  blow  in  behalf  of  their  white  allies,  as 
to  revenge  the  former  wrong  done  to  their  friends  by  Wal 
dron.  The  English  considered  themselves  perfectly  secure, 
18 


302  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

and  kept  no  watch  —  a  circumstance  which  had  been  oK 
served  by  the  enemy.  On  the  27th  of  June,  two  squaws 
obtained  leave  to  sleep  in  each  of  the  garrisoned  houses. 
During  the  night  they  rose  quietly,  unbarrecV  Jthe  doors, 
and,  by  appointed  signals,  announced  to  the  warriors  lurk 
ing  without  that  the  time  was  propitious  for  an  attack. 

The  English  were  completely  overpowered,  fifty-two 
were  killed  or  carried  away  captive  ;  among  the  former 
was  Major  Waldron.  The  old  warrior  (he  was  eighty 
years  of  age)  defended  himself  with  astonishing  strength 
and  courage,  but  was  finally  struck  down  from  behind. 
Bruised  and  mangled,  he  was  placed  in  a  chair  upon  a 
table,  and  the  savages,  gathering  round,  glutted  their  long- 
cherished  vengeance  by  cutting  and  torturing  the  helpless 
captive.  He  was  in  bad  odor  with  the  Indians  for  having, 
as  they  alleged,  defrauded  them  in  former  trading  trans 
actions.  It  was  reported  among  them  that  he  used  to 
"  count  his  fist  as  weighing  a  pound,  also  that  his  accounts 
were  not  crossed  out  according  to  agreement."  Placed  as 
above  mentioned,  upon  a  table,  some  of  them  "  in  turns 
gashed  his  naked  breast,  saying,  ( I  cross  out  my  account.' 
Then  cutting  a  joint  from  his  finger,  would  say,  '  Will 
your  fist  weigh  a  pound  now  ?  '  "  —  (Drake's  edition  of 
Church's  Indian  Wars.)  They  continued  these  cruelties 
until  he  fainted  from  loss  of  blood,  when  they  despatched 
him.  It  is  said,  by  the  above  author,  that  one  of  the 
squaws,  to  whom  was  assigned  the  duty  of  betraying  Wal- 
dron's  garrison,  felt  some  compunction  at  the  act  of  treach 
ery,  and  endeavored,  ineffectually,  to  warn  the  command 
ant  by  crooning  the  following  verse  :  — 

"  O,  Major  Waldo, 
You  great  sagamore, 
O,  what  will  you  do  ? 
Indians  at  your  door ! ' 

In    September    of  this    year  (1689)   Captain  (now  styled 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  303 

Major)  Church  was  commissioned  by  the  authorities  of  the 
United  Colonies  to  prosecute  the  war  in  Maine,  and  he 
sailed  accordingly  with  his  forces  for  Casco  Bay.  He  had 
with  him  two  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers,  English  and 
friendly  Indians,  and  two  companies  from  Massachusetts. 
His  arrival  was  seasonable,  as  a  large  party  of  Indians 
and  French  was  ascertained  to  be  in  the  vicinity, 'intend 
ing  to  destroy  the  place.  Some  smart  skirmishing  took 
place  upon  the  succeeding  day,  but  the  enemy  finally 
drew  off. 

When  afterwards  ordered  home  with  his  troops,  Church 
bestirred  himself  to  bring  about  some  action  on  the  part 
of  the  government  for  the  more  effectual  protection  of  the 
unfortunate  inhabitants  of  Casco  (the  country  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  the  present  town  of  Portland),  but  in  vain  ;  and  in 
the  ensuing  spring  the  whole  district  was  ravaged  by  the 
enemy.  The  English  settlers  at  the  East,  after  the  event, 
no  longer  dared  to  remain  exposed  to  attacks  of  the  sav 
ages,  and,  deserting  their  homes,  collected  at  the  fortified 
post  at  "Wells,  in  the  south  of  Maine. 

Church's  second  eastern  expedition,  in  September,  1690, 
was  against  the  Indian  forts  on  the  Anclroscoggin.  With 
little  resistance  he  drove  off  the  occupants,  released  several 
English  captives,  and  took  prisoners  several  members  of 
the  families  of  the  noted  sachems  Warombo  and  Kanka- 
magus.  A  number  of  Indian  prisoners  were  brutally  mur 
dered  by  the  successful  party  ;  but  two  old  squaws  were 
left  to  deliver  a  message  to  their  own  people  that  Captain 
Church  had  been  there,  and  with  him  many  Indians,  for 
merly  adherents  of  King  Philip ;  and  to  report  further,  as 
a  warning,  what  great  success  he  had  met  with  in  the  war 
against  the  great  sachem.  Word  was  also  left  that  if  the 
fugitives  f<  had  a  mind  to  see  their  wives  and  children,  they 
should  come  to  Wells'  garrison."  With  respect  to  the  mas 
sacre  of  prisoners  on  this  occasion,  we  are  left  to  infer  that 


304  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

a  portion  of  them,  at  least,  consisted  of  women  and  children. 
The  old  narrative  here  as  elsewhere  is  rather  blind,  and 
deficient  in  detail,  but  if  the  facts  were  as  above  suggested, 
the  whole  history  of  these  Indian  wars  does  not  present 
a  more  revolting  instance  of  cold-blooded  barbarity.  That 
the  act  was  done  by  Church's  orders,  or  that  it  was  coun 
tenanced  by  him,  seems  utterly  incredible  when  compared 
with  his  usual  course  towards  prisoners.  Of  one  man, 
who  was  captured  in  the  taking  of  Warombo's  fort,  it  is 
said  :  "  The  soldiers  being  very  rude,  would  hardly  spare 
the  Indian's  life  while  in  examination  ;  "  and  it  is  possible 
that  they  might  have  committed  the  wanton  butchery 
above  mentioned  without  their  commander's  concurrence. 
We  would  not,  however,  endeavor  to  screen  the  guilty  ; 
and  if  Church  is  to  be  held  responsible  for  the  murder, 
it  certainly  must  leave  a  black  and  indelible  stain  upon  his 
character. 

From  the  plundered  fort  Church  proceeded  to  Casco, 
where  he  engaged  the  enemy,  and  beat  them  off,  but  not 
without  the  loss  of  about  thirty  of  his  own  men  in  killed 
and  wounded. 

In  August,  1692,  Church  was  again  commissioned  by 
Sir  William  Phipps  to  undertake  an  expedition  against 
the  Indians  at  Penobscot  ;  and,  although  he  failed  to  sur 
prise  the  enemy,  who  escaped  in  their  canoes,  he  destroyed 
a  quantity  of  their  provision,  and  brought  away  a  consid 
erable  amount  of  plunder. 

A  force,  sent  into  Maine,  in  1693,  under  Major  Convers, 
was  opposed  by  none  of  the  natives,  and,  within  a  short 
time  after,  these  miserable  people  were  glad  to  conclude  a 
treaty  of  peace  with  the  English  at  Pemmaquid,  where  a 
strong  fort  had  been  erected  in  1690.  At  this  negotiation 
the  hostile  tribes  delivered  hostages  as  a  security  that  they 
would  cease  depredations  and  renounce  their  allegiance  to 
the  French.  Many  of  them  were,  notwithstanding,  in- 


NEW   ENGLAND   INDIANS.  305 

duced  to  join  the  invasion  under  M.  de  Villiere,  in  the 
following  year. 

In  this  campaign,  the  first  object  was  the  destruction  of 
the  settlement  on  Oyster  river,  near  Dover,  New  Hamp 
shire,  where  twelve  houses  had  been  garrisoned  and  put 
in  a  state  of  defence.  Five  of  these  were  forced,  and 
nearly  one  hundred  persons  were  killed  or  taken  prisoners  ; 
the  other  strongholds  made  a  successful  defence,  but  fifteen 
unprotected  houses  were,  burned.  Nothing  of  special 
interest  occurred  in  connection  with  the  Eastern  Indians 
from  this  time  until  1696.  During  the  summer  of  that 
year,  some  blood  was  shed  by  the  savages  at  Portsmouth 
and  Dover ;  but  the  most  important  occurrence  of  the 
season  was  the  reduction  of  the  strong  fort  at  Pemmaquid 
by  the  enemy.  Church  was  also  engaged  in  another  east 
ern  campaign  in  the  months  of  August  and  September, 
but  owing  to  orders  received  from  the  colonial  authorities, 
he  was  impeded  in  the  prosecution  of  his  plans,  and  noth 
ing  of  special  moment  was  effected. 

In  January,  1699,  the  war  with  the  French  being  at  an 
end,  the  Indians  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire  entered 
into  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  English  colonies  —  acknowl 
edging,  by  their  principal  sachems,  allegiance  to  the  King 
of  England. 

When  war  was  again  declared,  in  May,  1702,  the  old 
difficulties  with  the  Indians  were  speedily  renewed.  Gov 
ernor  Dudley,  of  Massachusetts,  endeavored  to  preserve 
peace  with  these  tribes,  and  concluded  a  negotiation  with 
many  of  their  chiefs,  at  Casco,  in  June  of  the  following 
year.  This  appears  to  have  been  a  mere  blind  on  the  part 
of  the  savages,  then,  as  ever,  favorable  to  the  French  ;  for 
only  a  few  weeks  subsequent  to  the  treaty,  a  simultaneous 
attack  was  made  upon  the  eastern  English  settlements. 
Every  thing  fell  before  the  enemy  ;  houses  were  burned, 
property  of  every  kind  was  destroyed  or  plundered,  and 


306  INDIAN  KACES   OF   AMERICA. 

one  hundred  and  thirty  of  the  inhabitants  were  slain  or 
captured. 

The  news  of  the  terrible  calamities  attendant  on  the 
destruction  of  Deerfield,  in  the  winter  of  1703-4,  combined 
with  what  he  had  himself  witnessed  of  Indian  cruelties, 
incited  Major  Church  to  volunteer  his  further  services 
against  the  enemy.  "  His  blood  boiled  within  him,  mak 
ing  such  impulses  on  his  mind  that  he  forgot  all  former 
treatments,  which  were  enough  to  hinder  any  man,  espe 
cially  the  said  Major  Church,  from  doing  any  further  ser 
vice."  His  offers  were  gladly  accepted,  and  a  very  con 
siderable  force  was  put  under  his  command,  with  a  good 
supply  of  whale-boats,  the  necessity  for  which  he  had  seen 
in  former  campaigns  along  the  irregular  and  indented  coast 
of  Maine. 

This  was  the  last  military  duty  undertaken  by  the  old 
soldier,  and  it  was  performed  with  his  usual  skill  and 
energy.  The  Indian  towns  of  Minas  and  Chignecto  were 
taken,  and  the  enemy  was  successfully  engaged  at  other 
points.  The  most  noted  event  of  the  expedition  was  the 
night  attack  at  Passamaquoddy.  In  the  midst  of  the  con 
fusion  incident  to  the  marshalling  of  disorderly  and  undis 
ciplined  troops,  an  order  was  issued  by  Church  for  the 
destruction  of  a  house,  and  of  its  inhabitants,  who  had 
refused  to  surrender.  In  his  own  words  :  "  I  hastily  bid 
them  pull  it  down,  and  knock  them  on  the  head,  never  ask 
ing  whether  they  were  French  or  Indians  —  they  being  all 
enemies  alike  to  me."  In  a^note  to  this  transaction,  Mr. 
Drake  says  :  "  It  does  not  appear,  from  a  long  career  of 
useful  services,  that  Church  was  ever  rash  or  cruel.  From 
the  extraordinary  situation  of  his  men,  rendered  doubly 
critical  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  the  almost  cer 
tain  intelligence  that  a  great  army  of  the  enemy  were  at 
Jiand,  is  thought  to  be  sufficient  excuse  for  the  measure." 
The  major,  in  his  own  account,  adds  :  "  I  most  certainly 


NEW  ENGLAND   INDIANS.  307 

know  that  I  was  in  an  exceeding  great  passion,  but  not 
with  those  poor  miserable  enemies  ;  for  I  took  no  notice 
of  a  half  a  dozen  of  the  enemy,  when  at  the  same  time  I 
expected  to  be  engaged  with  some  hundreds  of  them, 
*  *  In-this  heat  of  action,  every  word  that  I  then  spoke 
I  cannot  give  an  account  of;  and  I  presume  it  is  impossi 
ble."  Quarter  was  shown  to  all  who  came  out  and  sub 
mitted,  upon  requisition. 

From  the  close  of  the  war,  and  the  conclusion  of  peace 
with  France,  in  1713,  until  1722,  there  was  little  to  disturb 
the  eastern  frontier,  further  than  some  contentions  between 
the  colonists  and  Indians  arising  out  of  disputed  titles  to 
land.  A  Frenchman  named  Ralle,  of  the  order  of  Jesuits, 
resided,  in  1721,  among  the  Indians  at  Norridgewock,  and 
being  suspected  by  the  English  of  exerting  a  pernicious 
influence  over  his  flock,  a  party  was  sent,  by  the  Massa 
chusetts  government,  to  seize  upon  his  person.  Ralle 
escaped,  and  the  undertaking  only  hastened  hostilities. 

Indian  depredations  soon  commenced,  and  war  was  reg 
ularly  declared  by  Massachusetts.  For  three  years  the 
frontier  settlements  suffered  severely.  The  English  suc 
ceeded  in  breaking  up  the  principal  head-quarters  of  the 
enemy,  viz  :  at  the  Indian  castle  some  distance  up  the 
Penobscot,  and  at  the  village  of  Norridgewock, 

At  the  taking  of  the  latter  place,  Ralle,  with  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  of  his  Indian  comrades,  perished. 

One  of  the  most  noted  among  the  English  campaigners 
during  this  war,  was  the  famous  Captain  John  Lovewell, 
of  Dunstable.  His  adventures,  and  particularly  the  fight 
at  Pigwacket,  on  the  Saco,  in  which  he  lost  his  life,  were 
widely  celebrated  in  the  rude  verse  of  the  times.  • 

This  engagement  was  the  last  important  event  of  the 
war  ;  the  Indians  were  greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  and, 
when  no  longer  stimulated  and  supported  by  the  French, 
were  incapable  of  any  systematic  warlike  operations. 


THE  IKOQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GENERAL  OUTLINES  OF  CHARACTER,  ETC.  —  IMPRESSIONS  OF  THE  IN 
HABITANTS  OF  NEW  ENGLAND  RESPECTING  THE  IROGIUOIS.  —  GA- 
RANGULA:  HIS  SPEECH  TO  M.  DE  LA  BARRE. 

NONE  of  the  Indian  nations  of  the  United  States  have 
occupied  a  more  important  place  in  our  national  history, 
than  the  renowned  confederacy  which  forms  the  subject  of 
our  present  consideration. 

Various  New  England  tribes  were  reduced  to  a  disgrace 
ful  tribute  to  the  imperious  Mohags,  Mawhawks,  Mohawks 
or  Maquas ;  the  great  nation  of  Powhatan  stood  in  awe  of 
the  warlike  Massawomekes  ;  and  those  associated  in  this 
powerful  league  had  become  a  terror  to  all  against  whom 
they  had  lifted  up  their  arms.  They  were  called  Iroquois 
by  the  French,  who  found  their  head-quarters  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,  where  Montreal  now  stands,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  Their  native  appellation  was 
Aganuschioni  (variously  spelt  and  translated),  and  they 
were  divided  originally  into  five  tribes.  These  were  the 
Mohawks,  the  Oneidas,  the  Cayugas,  the  Onondagas  and 
the  Senecas.  The  Tuscaroras,  from  the  south,  were  after 
wards  united  with  them,  and  formed  the  sixth  nation. 
Each  tribe  was  subdivided  into  classes,  distinguished  by 
the  "  totems,"  or  symbols  of  the  tortoise,  the  bear,  the  wolf, 
the  beaver,  the  deer,  the  falcon,  the  plover,  and  the  crane. 

(308) 


IROQU01S  CHIEF 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  311 

Some  very  singular  usages  were  connected  with  this  clas 
sification.  Among  «other  things,  marriage  was  prohibited 
between  individuals  bearing  the  same  totem,  a  restriction 
which  operated  strongly  to  extend  the  ties  of  family  con 
nection.  Each  of  the  nations  was  divided  in  the  same 
manner,  and  the  distinctive  badge  gave  its  bearer  peculiar 
privileges  among  those  of  his  own  class,  when  away  from 
home. 

The  first  military  exploits  recorded  of  the  Iroquois,  with 
the  exception  of  native  tradition,  are  their  battles  with 
the  Adirondacks,  in  which  they  were  engaged. when  first 
known  by  the  French.  Becoming  skilled  in  war,  and  be 
ing  of  a  bold,  adventurous  spirit,  after  finally  defeating 
the  Adirondacks,  the  five  nations  extended  their  conquests 
to  the  south  and  west.  The  Mohawks,  although  not  the 
most  numerous  portion  of  the  united  tribes,  furnished  the 
fiercest  and  most  redoubted  warriors.  To  give  an  idea  of 
the  estimation  in  which  they  were  held  by  the  Indians  of 
New  England,  we  cite  the  following  account,  given  by 
Gookin,  in  his  historical  collections,  written  in  1674,  of 
the  first  of  the  tribe  with  whom  the  eastern  colonists  held 
any  intercourse. 

"  These  Maquas  are  given  to  rapine  and  spoil ;  and  had 
for  several  years  been  in  hostility  with  our  neighbor  In 
dians,  as  the  Massachusetts,  Pautuckets,  &c.,  &c.  And, 
in  truth,  they  were,  in  time  of  war,  so  great  a  terror  to  all 
the  Indians  before  named,  though  ours  were  far  more  in 
number  than  they,  the  appearance  of  four  or  five  Maquas 
in  the  woods,  would  frighten  them  from  their  habitations 
and  cornfields,  and  reduce  many  of  them  to  get  together 
in  forts."  In  September,  of  1665,  "there  were  five  Maw- 
hawks  or  Maquas,  all  stout  and  lusty  young  men,  and  well 
armed,  that  came  into  one  John  Taylor's  house,  in  Cam 
bridge,  in  the  afternoon.  They  were  seen  to  come  out 
from  a  swamp  not  far  from  the  house."  Each  had  a  gun, 


312  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

pistol,  hatchet,  and  long  knife,  and  "  the  people  of  the 
house  perceived  that  their  speech  wa$  different  from  our 
neighbor  Indians  ;  for  these  Maquas  speak  hollow  and 
through  the  throat,  more  than  our  Indians  ;  and  their  lan 
guage  is  understood  but  by  very  few  of  our  neighbor 
Indians." 

It  seems  these  Mohawks  came  with  the  intention  of 
being  apprehended,  that  they  might  see  the  ways  of  the 
English,  and  display,  at  the  same  time,  their  own  courage 
and  daring.  They  made  no  resistance  when  a  party  came 
to  seize  them,  but,  "  at  their  being  imprisoned,  and  their 
being  loaden  with  irons,  they  did  not  appear  daunted  or 
dejected  :  but  as  the  manner  of  those  Indians  is,  they  sang 
night  and  day,  when  they  were  awake." 

On  being  brought  before  the  court  at  Boston,  they  disa 
vowed  any  evil  intent  towards  the  English,  saying  that 
they  were  come  to  avenge  themselves  upon  their  Indian 
enemies.  "  They  were  told  that  it  was  inhumanity,  and 
more  like  wolves  than  men  to  travel  and  wander  so  far 
from  home  merely  to  kill  and  destroy  men,  women,  and 
children,  —  for  they  could  get  no  riches  of  our  Indians, 
who  were  very  poor,  —  and  to  do  this  in  a  secret  skulking 
manner,  lying  in  ambushment,  thickets,  and  swamps,  by 
the  way  side,  and  so  killing  people  in  a  base  and  ignoble 
manner,"  &c.  — "  To  these  things  they  made  answer  short 
ly:  '  It  was  their  trade  of  life  :  they  were  bred  up  by  their 
ancestors  to  act  in  this  way  towards  their  enemies.' ' 

All  the  Indians,  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  were  eager 
that  these  captives  should  be  put  to  death,  but  the  court 
adopted  the  wiser  policy  of  sending  them  home  in  safety, 
with  presents  and  a  letter  to  their  sachem,  cautioning  him 
against  allowing  any  of  his  people  to  make  war  against 
the  peaceable  Indians  under  the  protection  of  the  English. 

About  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  Iro- 
quois,  having  annihilated  the  powerful  nation  of  the  Eries, 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OB   SIX   NATIONS.  313 

occupied  no  small  portion  of  that  vast  extent  of  country, 
lying  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  great  lakes,  and 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers.  They  even  extended 
their  hostile  incursions  far  south  and  west  of  these  great 
boundaries.  The  present  state  of  New  York  contained 
their  principal  establishments,  and  the  picturesque  river 
and  lakes  upon  which  they  dwelt,  still  perpetuate  the  names 
of  the  confederate  tribes.  These  people  held  intercourse 
with  the  whites,  of  a  very  different  nature  from  that  which 
characterized  the  reduction  and  humiliation  of  the  unfor 
tunate  natives  of  New  England.  Placed  as  they  were  be 
tween  powerful  colonies  of  contending  European  nations; 
their  favor  courted  upon  terms  of  equality  by  emissaries 
from  either  party  ;  the  authority  of  their  chiefs  acknowl 
edged,  and  the  solemnity  of  their  councils  respected  by 
the  whites ;  and  conscious  of  proud  superiority  over  all 
surrounding  native  tribes,  it  might  well  be  expected  that 
they  would  entertain  the  highest  sense  of  their  national 
importance. 

No  American  tribe  ever  produced  such  an  array  of  re 
nowned  warriors  and  orators  as  those  immortalized  in  the 
history  of  the  Six  Nations.  Such  a  regular  system  of 
federal  goverment,  where  the  chief-men  of  each  member 
of  the  league  met  in  one  grand  council,  to  sustain  the  in 
terests  of  their  tribe,  or  enforce  the  views  of  their  constit 
uents  upon  subjects  of  state  policy,  in  matters  of  vital 
importance  to  the  whole  nation,  elicited  all  the  powers  of 
rude  native  eloquence.  Never  in  the  history  of  the  world 
has  the  stirring  effect  of  accomplished  oratory  been  more 
strikingly  displayed  than  in  the  councils  of  these  untaught 
sages.  The  speeches  of  Logan,  Red-Jacket,  and  others, 
fortunately  preserved,  have  been  long  considered  master 
pieces  of  forcible  declamation. 

The  address  of  Garangula,  or  Grand  Gueule,  to  the 
Canadian  governor,  M.  de  la  Barre,  has  been  often  tran- 


314  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

scribed,  but  is  so  strikingly  characteristic  of  Indian  style, 
that  we  must  find  place  for  at  least  a  portion  of  it.  About 
the  year  1684,  the  French,  being  at  peace  with  the  Iro- 
quois,  took  the  opportunity  to  strengthen  and  enlarge  their 
dominions  by  fortifying  and  adding  to  their  posts  upon  the 
western  waters.  In  carrying  out  this  purpose,  they  sent 
large  supplies  of  ammunition  to  their  Indian  allies  ;  tribes 
hostile  to  the  confederacy.  The  Iroquois  took  prompt 
measures  to  check  this  transfer  of  means  for  their  destruc 
tion,  and  the  French  governor,  angry  at  their  interference, 
determined  .to  humble  them  by  a  decisive  campaign.  He 
collected  a  strong  force  at  Cadaraqui  fort ;  but,  a  sickness 
breaking  out  among  his  troops,  he  was  obliged  to  give 
over,  or  delay  the  prosecution  of  his  purpose.  He  there 
fore  procured  a  meeting  with  the  old  Onondaga  sachem, 
and  other  Indian  deputies  at  Kaihoage,  on  Lake  Ontario, 
for  a  conference.  He  commenced  by  recapitulating  the 
injuries  received  from  the  Five  Nations,  by  the  plunder  of 
French  traders,  and,  after  demanding  ample  satisfaction, 
threatened  the  destruction  of  the  nation,  if  his  claims  were 
disregarded.  He  also  falsely  asserted  that  the  governor  of 
New  York  had  received  orders  from  the  English  court  to 
assist  the  French  army  in  the  proposed  invasion. 

The  old  chief,  undisturbed  by  these  menaces,  having 
taken  two  or  three  turns  about  the  apartment,  stood  before 
the  governor,  and,  after  a  courteous  and  formal  prologue, 
addressed  him  as  follows  :  (we  cite  from  Drake's  Book  of 
the  North  American  Indians)  "  Yonondio  ;  you  must  have 
believed,  when  you  left  Quebeck,  that  the  sun  had  burnt  up 
all  the  forests  which  render  our  country  inaccessible  to  the 
French,  or  that  the  lakes  had  so  far  overflown  the  banks, 
that  they  had  surrounded  our  castles,  and  that  it  was  im 
possible  for  us  to  get  out  of  them.  Yes,  surely  you  must 
have  dreamt  so,  and  the  curiosity  of  seeing  so  great  a 
wonder  has  brought  you  so  far.  Now  you  are  undeceived, 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OB   SIX  NATIONS.  315 

since  that  I,  and  the  warriors  here  present,  are  come  to  as 
sure  you  that  the  Senecas,  Cayugas,  Onondagas,  Oneidas, 
and  Mohawks  are  yet  alive.  I  thank  you  in  their  name,  for 
bringing  back  into  their  country  the  calumet  which  your 
predecessor  received  from  their  hands.  It  was  happy  for 
you  that  you  left  under  ground  that  murdering  hatchet 
that  has  been  so  often  dyed  in  the  blood  of  the  French. 

"Hear,  Yonondio;  I  do  not  sleep;  I  have  my  eyes 
open ;  and  the  sun  which  enlightens  me,  discovers  to  me 
a  great  captain,  at  the  head  of  a  company  of  soldiers,  who 
speaks  as  if  he  were  dreaming.  He  says  that  he  only  came 
to  the  lake  to  smoke  on  the  great  calumet  with  the  Onon 
dagas.  But  Grangula  says,  that  he  sees  the  contrary ;  that 
it  was  to  knock  them  on  the  head  if  sickness  had  not  weak 
ened  the  arms  of  the  French.  I  see  Yonondio  raving  in  a 
camp  of  sick  men,  whose  lives  the  Great  Spirit  has  saved 
by  inflicting  this  sickness  upon  them. 

"  Hear,  Yonondio  ;  our  women  had  taken  their  clubs, 
our  children  and  old  men  had  carried  their  bows  and 
arrows  into  the  heart  of  your  camp,  if  our  warriors  had  not 
disarmed  them,  and  kept  them  back  when  your  messenger, 
Akouessan,  came  to  our  castles.  It  is  done,  and  I  have 
said  it. 

"  Hear,  Yonondio ;  we  plundered  none  of  the  French, 
but  those  that  carried  arms,  powder  and  ball  to  the 
Twightwies  and  Chictaghicks,  because  those  arms  might 
have  cost  us  our  lives.  Herein  we  follow  the  example  of 
the  Jesuits,  who  break  all  the  kegs  of  rum  brought  to  our 
castles,  lest  the  drunken  Indians  should  knock  them  on  the 
head.  Our  warriors  have  not  beaver  enough  to  pay  for  all 
those  arms  that  they  have  taken,  and  our  old  men  are  not 
afraid  of  tlie  war.  This  belt  preserves  my  words." 

The  orator  continued  in  the  same  strain,  asserting  the 
independence  and  freedom  of  his  nation,  and  giving  sub 
stantial  reasons  for  knocking  the  Twightwies  and  Chic- 


316  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

taghicks  on  the  head.  He  concluded  by  magnanimously 
offering  a  present  of  beaver  to  the  governor,  and  by  inviting 
all  the  company  present  to  an  entertainment.  At  the  end 
of  each  important  section  of  a  speech,  it  was  usual  for  the 
speaker  to  proffer  a  belt  of  wampum,  to  be  kept  in  perpetual 
memory  of  that  portion  of  his  oration,  a  circumstance  ex 
planatory  of  the  concluding  words  of  the  above  quotation. 


CHAPTER    II. 

IROCIUOIS  TRADITIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THEIR  FORMER  HISTORY.  — A 
BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  TRIBES  BELONGING  TO  THE 
CONFEDERACY,  AND  THE  MANNER  OF  THEIR  UNION.  —  INCIDENTS  OF 
EARLY  WARFARE. 

SOME  fanciful  tales  of  a  supernatural  origin  from  the 
heart  of  a  mountain ;  of  a  migration  to  the  eastern  sea 
board  ;  and  of  a  subsequent  return  to  the  country  of  lakes 
and  rivers  where  they  finally  settled,  comprise  most  that 
is  noticeable  in  the  native  traditions  of  the  Six  Nations, 
prior  to  the  grand  confederation.  Many  of  the  ancient 
fortifications,  the  remains  of  which  are  still  visible  through 
the  state  of  New  York,  were  said  to  have  been  built  for 
defence  while  the  tribes  were  disjoined,  and  hostile  to  each 
other. 

The  period  when  it  was  finally  concluded  to  adjust  all 
differences,  and  to  enter  into  a  league  of  mutual  protection 
and  defence,  is  altogether  uncertain.  The  most  distin 
guished  authors  who  have  given  the  subject  their  attention, 
incline  to  the  opinion  that  this  took  place  within  less  than 
a  century  anterior  to  the  English  colonization  in  the  east. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  precise  time  of  the  new 
organization,  its  results  were,  as  we  have  seen,  brilliant  in 
the  extreme.  None  of  the  ruder  nations  of  Eastern 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS, 


317 


America  have  ever  displayed  such  a  combination  of  quali 
ties  that  command  respect  as  those  of  whom  we  are  now 
treating.  The  nature  of  the  league  was  decidedly  demo 
cratic  ;  arbitrary  power  was  lodged  in  the  hands  of  no 
ruler,  nor  was  any  tribe  allowed  to  exercise  discretional 
authority  over  another.  A  singular  unanimity  was  gen 
erally  observable  in  their  councils  ',  the  rights  and  opinions 
of  minorities  were  respected  ;  and,  in  no  instance,  were 
measures  adopted  which  met  the  sanction  of  but  a  bare 
majority. 

We  are  told  that  for  a  long  period  before  the  revolution, 
the  Iroquois  chiefs  and  orators  held  up  their  own  confed 
eration  as  an  example  for  the  imitation  of  the  English 
colonies. 

Each  tribe  had  one  principal  sachem,  who,  with  an  un 
defined  number  of  associates,  took  his  post  in  the  great  coun 
cils  of  the  nation.  A  grave  and  decent  deliberation  was 
seen  in  all  their  assemblies,  forming  a  striking  contrast  to 
the  trickery  and  chicane,  or  noisy  misrule  too  often  visible 
in  the  legislative  halls  of  enlightened  modern  nations. 

The  Mohawks  were  esteemed  the  oldest  of  the  tribes, 
and,  as  they  were  always  the  most  noted  in  warlike  trans 
actions,  one  of  their  sachems  usually  occupied  the  position 
of  commander-in-chief  of  the  active  forces  of  the  united 
people.  The  settlement  of  this  tribe  was  in  eastern  New 
York,  upon  the  Mohawk  river,  and  along  the  shores  of  the 
Hudson.  From  their  villages,  in  these  districts,  their  war- 
parties  ravaged  or  subdued  the  feebler  nations  at  the  east 
and  south,  and  their  favor  was  only  obtained  by  tribute  and 
submission. 

Next  in  order,  proceeding  westward,  dwelt  the  Oneidas, 
whose  central  locality,  supplying  the  place  of  a  state  capital 
for  the  national  council,  was  the  celebrated  Oneida  stone. 
This  mass  of  rock,  crowning  the  summit  of  a  hill  which 
commands  a  beautiful  view  of  the  valley,  is  still  pointed 


318  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

out  in  the  town  of  Stockbridge,  about  fifteen  or  twenty 
miles  south-east  of  the  Oneida  lake.  This  tribe  is  supposed 
to  have  been  the  last  of  the  Five  Nations  to  have  adopted 
a  separate  name  and  government,  in  early  ages,  prior  to  the 
grand  union.  It  produced  bold  and  enterprising  warriors, 
who  extended  their  excursions  far  to  the  south,  and  by 
some  of  whom  the  sixth  tribe  —  the  Tuscaroras  —  was  first 
conducted  northward. 

The  Onondagas  occupied  the  country  between  the  Oneida 
and  Cayuga  lakes.  According  to  some  theories,  all  the 
other  tribes  were  derived  from  this,  and  certain  it  is  that 
the  civil  ruler  of  the  confederacy  was  always  from.  Onon- 
daga,  and  here  was  ever  the  grand  centralcouncil-fire.  Mon- 
archs  of  the  tribe  were  said  to  have  reigned,  in  regular 
succession,  from  the  first  period  of  its  nationality  to  the 
time  of  European  colonization. 

In  near  proximity  to  each  other,  upon  the  beautiful  lakes 
which  still  bear  their  name,  were  settled  the  Cayugas  arid 
Senecas.  The  last-mentioned  tribe  has  always  been  by  far 
the  most  numerous  of  those  united  by  the  league. 

The  Tuscaroras  were,  by  their  own  account,  a  branch 
from  the  original  stock  of  the  Iroquois.  Migrating  first 
to  the  west,  and  thence  south-easterly,  they  had  finally  set 
tled  upon  the  Neuse  and  Tar  rivers,  in  North  Carolina. 
Surrounded  by  hostile  Indians,  who  proved  unable  to  cope 
with  the  interlopers,  these  warlike  people  maintained  their 
position  until  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  They  then 
endeavored  to  exterminate  the  English  colonists  of  their 
vicinity.  On  an  appointed  day,  (September  22,  1711,) 
divided  in  small  parties,  they  entered  the  villages  of  the 
whites,  in  a  manner  intended  to  ward  off  suspicion,  and 
attempted  a  general  massacre.  Other  coast  Indians  were 
involved  in  the  conspiracy. 

One  hundred  and  thirty  whites  are  said  to  have  perished 
on  that  day  ;  but  so  far  from  being  a  successful  blow  against 


THE  ^ROQUOIS,   OB   SIX  NATIONS.  321 

the  advance  of  the  colonies,  the  plot  only  arouse  a  spirit 
of  retaliation,  which  resulted  in  the  expulsion  of  the  tribe. 
With  the  assistance  of  forces  from  South  Carolina  and  Vir 
ginia,  the  war  was  carried  on  vigorously ;  and  in  March  of 
1713,  the  main  fort  of  the  Tuscaroras,  upon  Tar  river,  to 
which  they  had  retreated,  was  stormed  by  Colonel  Moore, 
and  eight  hundred  prisoners  were  taken. 

Being  now  reduced  to  submission,  such  of  the  tribe  as 
remained  in  Carolina  yielded  to  the  requirements  and 
regulations  of  their  conquerors.  The  major  portion  moved 
to  New  York,  and  formed  the  sixth  nation  of  the  Iroquois. 
They  were  established  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
the  Oneidas. 

Many  strange  legends  of  early  warfare  between  the  Iro 
quois  and  distant  tribes  at  the  south  and  west  have  been 
preserved.  The  particulars  of  some  of  these  narratives  can 
be  relied  upon,  while  others  are  evidently  exaggerated  and 
distorted  in  the  tradition.  At  the  south,  the  most  famous 
of  their  opponents  were  the  great  nation  of  the  Delawares, 
the  Cherokees,  and  the  ancient  tribe  from  whom  our  prin 
cipal  chain  of  mountains  derive  a  name.  They  always 
claimed  that  the  Lenni  Lenape,  or  Delawares,  were  a  con 
quered  people,  and  assumed  the  haughtiness  of  superiors  in 
all  their  conferences  and  dealings  with  them.  No  hostilities 
took  place  between  the  two  nations  after  European  settle 
ments  were  established  in  the  country. 

The  Cherokee  war  gave  rather  an  opportunity  for  dis 
plays  of  individual  energy  and  daring,  than  for  any  decisive 
exhibition  of  national  power.  The  distance  to  be  traversed 
was  so  great,  that  it  was  never  undertaken  by  any  large 
body  of  warriors.  Small  parties,  who  could  make  their 
way  unperceived  into  the  heart  of  the  enemies'  country,  and 
retire  as  stealthily  with  their  trophies  of  scalps,  frequently 
sought  such  opportunity  of  proving  their  hardihood.  One 
19 


322  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  the  stories  told  of  these  early  exploits,  is  that  of  the 
Seneca  warrior,  Hiadeoni.  He  is  said  to  have  started  alone 
on  a  war-path,  and  to  have  penetrated  the  country  of  the 
Cherokees,  supported  by  such  provisions  as  he  could  pro 
cure  on  the  route,  and  a  little  parched  corn  which  he  car 
ried  with  him  when  he  set  out. 

Prowling  about  the  enemies'  villages,  he  managed  to 
despatch  two  men  and  to  secure  their  scalps.  He  then 
started  on  his  return,  and,  late  in  the  evening,  killed  and 
scalped  a  young  man  whom  he  saw  coming  out  of  a  retired 
wigwam.  The  hut  appeared  to  be  empty,  and  he  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  enter  it  in  search  of  plunder; 
especially  that  he  might  satisfy  his  craving  for  tobacco. 

While  there,  the  young  man's  mother  entered  the  wig 
wam,  and,  mistaking  Hiadeoni,  who  had  thrown  himself 
upon  the  bed,  for  her  son,  told  him  that  she  was  going  away 
for  the  night.  The  weary  Seneca,  seduced  by  the  ease  of 
a  long  unaccustomed  couch,  fell  into  a  sound  slumber,  from 
which  he  was  only  awakened  by  the  old  woman's  return  in 
the  morning.  Taking  advantage  of  a  moment  when  she  had 
left  the  hut,  to  slip  out,  he  made  the  best  of  his  way  north 
ward,  but  the  alarm  had  been  given,  and  it  was  only  by 
his  great  swiftness  that  he  escaped.  He  carried  the  three 
scalps  in  triumph  to  his  own  people. 

Many  similar  legends  are  preserved  among  the  Indians, 
of  the  bravery  and  determined  spirit  of  revenge  in  which 
their  forefathers  gloried.  One  of  those  which  has  been 
given  with  the  greatest  particularity,  is  the  noted  expe 
dition  of  the  Adirondack  chief  Piskaret  and  his  four  asso 
ciates.  In  the  long  and  bloody  war  between  that  tribe  and 
the  Five  Nations,  the  latter  had  attained  the  ascendency 
by  a  series  of  victories,  and  the  five  warriors  alluded  to 
undertook  to  wipe  away  the  disgrace  of  defeat.  Proceed 
ing  up  the  Sorel,  in  a  single  canoe,  they  fell  in  with  five 
boat-loads  of  the  enemy,  and  immediately  commenced  their 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX  NATIONS.  323 

death-song,  as  if  escape  were  impossible  and  resistance 
useless.  As  the  Iroquois  approached,  a  sudden  discharge 
from  the  Adirondack  muskets,  which  were  loaded  with 
small  chain-shot,  destroyed  the  frail  birch-bark  canoes  of 
their  opponents.  At  such  a  disadvantage,  the  Iroquois 
were  easily  knocked  on  the  head  as  they  floundered  in  the 
water :  as  many  as  could  be  safely  secured  were  taken 
alive,  and  tortured  to  death  at  their  captors'  leisure.  None 
of  Piskaret's  companions  would  accompany  him  upon  a 
second  war-path  which  he  proposed.  They  had  acquired 
glory  enough,  and  were  content  to  remain  in  the  enjoy 
ment  of  a  well-earned  reputation,  without  undergoing 
further  hardships  and  danger.  The  bold  chief  therefore 
started  alone  for  the  heart  of  the  enemies'  country.  Using 
every  precaution  for  concealment  and  deception  known  to 
savages ;  reversing  his  snow-shoes  to  mislead  a  pursuing 
party  as  to  the  direction  he  had  taken;  and  carefully 
choosing  a  route  where  it  would  be  difficult  to  track  him, 
he  reached  one  of  the  Iroquois  towns.  Lying  closely  con 
cealed  during  the  day,  he  stole  into  the  wigwams  of  his 
enemies  on  two  successive  nights,  and  murdered  and  scalped 
the  sleeping  occupants.  The  third  night  a  guard  was  sta 
tioned  at  every  lodge,  but  Piskaret,  stealthily  waiting  an 
opportunity,  knocked  one  of  the  watchmen  on  the  head, 
and  fled,  hotly  pursued  by  a  party  from  the  village.  His 
speed  was  superior  to  that  of  any  Indian  of  his  time, 
and,  through  the  whole  day,  he  kept  just  sufficiently  in  ad 
vance  of  his  pursuers  to  excite  them  to  their  utmost  exer 
tions.  At  night,  they  lay  down  to  rest,  and,  wearied  with 
the  day's  toil,  the  whole  party  fell  asleep.  Piskaret,  per 
ceiving  this,  silently  killed  and  scalped  every  man  of  them, 
and  carried  home  his  trophies  in  safety. 

The  Iroquois  were  generally  at  enmity  with  the  French, 
and,  within  a  few  years  after  the  futile  attempt  on  the  part 
of  De  la  Barre,  which  we  have  mentioned  in  a  preceding 


324  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

chapter,  scenes  of  frightful  cruelty  and  bloodshed  were 
enacted  on  both  sides.  The  confederacy  was  then,  as  long 
afterwards,  in  the  English  interest,  and  the  conquered 
Hurons,  or  Wyandots,  whom  they  had  driven  far  west 
ward,  naturally  espoused  the  cause  of  the  French.  Hav 
ing,  however,  no  cause  for  ill-will  against  the  English, 
except  as  being  allies  of  their  foes,  the  Hurons  were  not 
unwilling  to  hold  intercourse  with  them  for  purposes  of 
profitable  traffic. 

A  strange  piece  of  duplicity,  conducted  with  true  In 
dian  cunning  by  Adario,  or  the  Rat,  sachem  of  the  Dinon- 
dadies,  a  Wyandot  tribe,  was  the  immediate  cause  of  hos 
tilities.  He  left  his  head-quarters,  at  Michilimackinac, 
with  one  hundred  warriors,  whether  with  intent  to  make  an 
incursion  upon  the  Iroquois,  or  merely  upon  a  sort  of  scout, 
to  keep  himself  informed  of  the  movements  of  the  con 
tending  parties,  does  not  appear.  He  stopped  at  the 
French  fort  of  Cadaraqui,  and  learned  from  the  officer  in 
command  that  a  peace  was  about  to  be  concluded  between 
the  French  and  Iroquois  ;  deputies  for  which  purpose  were 
even  then  on  their  way  from  the  Six  Nations  to  Montreal. 

Nothing  could  be  more  distasteful  to  the  Rat  than  a 
treaty  of  this  character,  and  he  promptly  determined  to 
create  a  breach  between  the  negotiating  parties.  He  there 
fore  lay  in  wait  for  the  ambassadors  ;  fell  upon  them ;  and 
took  all  who  were  not  slain  in  the  conflict  prisoners.  He 
pretended,  in  discourse  with  these  captives,  that  he  was 
acting  under  the  direction  of  the  French  authorities,  and 
when  the  astonished  deputies  made  answer  that  they  were 
bound  upon  peaceful  embassy,  in  accordance  with  the  invi 
tation  of  the  French,  he  assumed  all  the  appearance  of 
astonishment  and  indignation  at  being  made  an  instrument 
for  so  treacherous  an  act.  He  immediately  set  his  prison 
ers  at  liberty,  gave  them  arms,  and  advised  them  to  rouse 
Mp  their  people  to  avenge  such  foul  injustice. 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  325 

By  this,  and  other  equally  artful  management,  Adario 
stirred  up  the  most  uncontrollable  rage  in  the  minds  of  the 
Iroquois  against  the  French,  and  a  long  and  disastrous 
war  followed.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  Canadian  governor 
attempted  to  explain  the  true  state  of  affairs.  The  Iroquois 
ever  held  the  French  in  suspicion,  and  would  not  be  dis 
abused.  They  invaded  Canada  with  an  irresistible  force. 
We  have  no  record  of  any  period  in  the  history  of  Amer 
ica  in  which  the  arms  of  the  natives  were  so  successful. 
Twelve  hundred  warriors  passed  over  to  the  island  upon 
which  Montreal  is  situated,  and  laid  waste  the  country. 
Nearly  a  thousand  of  the  French  are  said  to  have  been 
slain  or  reserved  for  death  by  fire  and  torture.  Neither 
age  nor  sex  proved  any  protection,  and  the  scenes  described 
surpass  in  horror  any  thing  before  or  since  experienced  by 
the  whites  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 

The  war  continued  for  years,  and  the  name  of  Black 
Kattle,  the  most  noted  war-chief  of  the  leagued  nations, 
became  a  word  of  terror.  He  fought  successfully  against 
superior  numbers  of  the  French ;  and  it  is  astonishing  to 
read  of  the  trifling  loss  which  his  bands  sustained  in  many 
of  their  most  desperate  engagements. 

The  great  orator  of  the  nation,  at  this  period,  was  named 
Decanisora  ;  he  appeared  more  preeminently  than  any  other 
in  all  the  public  negotiations  of  the  tribe,  and  was  one  of 
the  deputies  who  were  duped  by  the  subtle  contrivance  of 
Adario. 

We  have  already  mentioned  that  the  Six  Nations  gen 
erally  favored  the  English,  and  that  between  them  and  the 
French,  feelings  of  the  bitterest  animosity  prevailed.  The 
recollection  of  the  scenes  which  attended  the  sack  of  Mon 
treal  must  constantly  have  strengthened  this  hatred  on  the 
part  of  the  Canadians,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  In 
dians  could  point  to  acts  of  equal  atrocity  and  cold-blooded 
cruelty  exercised  towards  some  of  their  own  number  when 


326  INDIAN  EACES   OF  AMERICA. 

taken  captive.  Meanwhile,  the  English  agents  were  as 
siduous  in  cultivating  the  friendship  of  the  powerful  con 
federacy  whose  sagacity  and  good  faith  in  council,  and 
whose  strength  in  battle,  had  been  so  thoroughly  tested. 
In  the  year  1710,  three  Iroquois  and  two  Mohegan  sachems 
were  invited  to  visit  the  English  court,  and  they  sailed 
for  England  accordingly.  The  greatest  interest  was  felt 
by  high  and  low  in  their  appearance  and  demeanor.  They 
were  royally  accoutred,  and  presented  to  Queen  Anne  with 
courtly  ceremony.  The  authenticity  of  the  set  speeches 
recorded  as  having  been  delivered  by  them  on  this  occa 
sion,  has  been  shrewdly  called  in  question.  The  Specta 
tor,  of  April  27th,  1711,  in  a  letter  written  to  show  how 
the  absurdities  of  English  society  might  strike  a  foreigner, 
gives  a  sort  of  diary  as  having  been  written  by  one  of 
these  sachems.  The  article  opens  thus  :  "  When  the  four 
Indian  Kings  were  in  this  country,  about  a  twelvemonth 
ago,  I  often  mixed  with  the  rabble,  and  followed  them  a 
whole  day  together,  being  wonderfully  struck  with  the  sight 
of  every  thing  that  is  new  or  uncommon."  The  writer 
particularizes  "  our  good  brother  E.  Tow  O.  Koam,  king 
of  the  Rivers,"  and  speaks  of  "the  kings  of  Granajah 
(Canajoharie)  and  of  the  Six  Nations."  This  latter  ap 
pellation,  as  observed  by  Mr.  Drake,  seems  to  call  in  ques 
tion  the  correctness  of  the  date  usually  assigned  to  the 
event  of  the  annexation  of  the  Tuscaroras. 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  327 

CHAPTER    III. 

IMPORTANT    CHARACTERS    AND    EVENTS    OF    THE    EIGHTEENTH    CEN 
TURY.— BRANT.— CRESAP'S  WAR,  AND   HISTORY   OF  LOGAN. 

DURING  the  long  and  bloody  wars  between  the  English 
and  French,  the  Six  Nations  were  continually  involved  in 
hostilities,  occupying,  as  they  did,  a  position  between  the 
contending  parties.  To  describe  all  the  part  they  took  in 
these  transactions,  would  be  to  give  a  history  of  the  war. 
This  is  far  from  our  purpose  to  undertake,  and,  in  bring 
ing  down  events  to  the  period  of  the  American  revolution, 
we  shall  bestow  but  a  passing  notice  upon  some  of  the 
more  prominent  incidents  in  which  the  Iroquois,  as  a  na 
tion,  or  distinguished  individuals  of  their  tribe,  bore  a  con 
spicuous  part. 

Joseph  Brant,  —  Thayendanagea,  (as  he  usually  signed 
himself,)  was  born  in  the  year  1742.  It  has  been  a  matter 
much  disputed  whether  he  was  a  half-breed,  or  of  pure  In 
dian  descent,  and  also  whether  he  was  entitled  to  the  dig 
nity  of  a  chief  by  birth,  or  rose  to  it  by  his  own  exertions. 
His  biographer,  Stone,  pronounces  him  to  have  been  the 
son  of  "  Tehowaghwengaraghkwin,  a  full-blooded  Mo 
hawk,  of  the  Wolf  tribe."  His  parents  resided  in  the 
valley  of  the  Mohawk,  but  were  upon  an  expedition  to  the 
Ohio  river  when  Joseph  was  born.  Young  Brant  was 
early  taken  under  the  patronage  of  Sir  William  Johnson, 
the  English  colonial  agent  for  Indian  affairs,  under  whose 
command  he  gained  his  first  knowledge  and  experience  of 
military  affairs.  Many  have  expressed  the  opinion  that 
Brant  was  a  son  of  Sir  William ;  but  we  can  account  for 
their  mutual  interest  in  each  other's  welfare  upon  other 
grounds  than  those  of  natural  affection.  Sir  William 
Johnson  was  idolized  by  the  whole  Mohawk  tribe  for  the 
favor  and  respect  which  he  had  shown  them,  and  for  his 


328  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

princely  hospitality.  With  the  family  of  Brant  he  was 
more  closely  connected  by  a  union  with  Molly,  a  sister  of 
Joseph's,  who  lived  with  him  as  a  mistress  until  his  death. 

In  the  year  1755,  Brant,  then  but  thirteen  years  of  age, 
took  part  with  his  tribe  in  the  battle  at  Lake  George, 
where  the  French,  under  Bafon  Dieskaru,  were  defeated 
by  Sir  William  Johnson  and  his  forces.  Old  king  Hen- 
drick  or  Soi-en-ga-rah-ta,  tfie  noted  sachem  of  the  Mo 
hawks,  perished  on  this  occasion.  Hendrick  was  nearly 
seventy  years  of  age,  but  years  had  not  diminished  his 
energy  or  courage.  Historians  vie  with  each  other  in  the 
praises  which  they  bestow  upon  the  eloquence,  bravery, 
and  integrity  of  this  old  chief.  He  was  intimate  with  his 
distinguished  English  commander,  and  it  was  between 
them  that  the  amusing  contention  of  dreams  occurred,  that 
has  been  so  often  narrated.  With  the  Iroquois  a  dream 
was  held  to  import  verity,  insomuch  that  it  must  be  fulfilled 
if  practicable.  Sir  William  (then  general)  Johnson  had 
displayed  some  splendid  and  costly  uniforms  before  the 
eyes  of  his  admiring  guests,  at  one  of  his  munificent  en 
tertainments.  Old  Hendrick  came  to  him  one  morning, 
shortly  afterwards,  and  gravely  affirmed  that  he  had 
dreamed  of  receiving  one  of  these  gorgeous  suits  as  a 
present.  The  general  instantly  presented  it  to  him,  but 
took  the  opportunity  to  retaliate  by  dreaming  of  the  cession 
of  three  thousand  acres  of  valuable  land.  The  sachem- 
was  riot  backward  in  carrying  out  his  own  principles,  but 
at  the  same  time  avowed  his  intention  of  dreaming  no  more 
with  one  whose  dreams  were  so  hard. 

To  return  to  young  Brant :  after  accompanying  his  patron 
in  further  campaigns  of  the  bloody  French  war,  he  was 
placed  by  him,  together  with  several  other  young  Indians, 
at  an  institution  in  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  called  the  Moor 
School,  after  its  founder,  to  receive  an  English  education. 
This  was  about  the  year  1760.  After  attaining  some  pro- 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  331 

ficiency  in  the  first  rudiments  of  literature,  which  he  after 
wards  turned  to  good  account,  Brant  left  the  seminary,  and 
again  engaged  in  a  life  of  active  warfare.  He  was  em 
ployed  in  the  war  with  Pontiac  and  the  Ottawas,  but  the 
particulars  of  his  services  are  not  handed  down  to  us.  In 
1765,  we  find  him  married,  and  settled  in  his  own  house 
at  the  Mohawk  valley.  Here  he  spent  a  quiet  and  peace 
ful  life  for  some  years,  acting  as  interpreter  in  negotiations 
between  his  people  and  the  whites,  and  lending  his  aid  to 
the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  who  were  engaged  in  the 
work  of  teaching  and  converting  the  Indians.  Those  who 
visited  his  house  spoke  in  high  terms  of  his  kindness  and 
hospitality. 

On  the  death  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  in  June,  1774, 
his  son-in-law,  Colonel  Guy  Johnson,  held  his  office  as 
Indian  agent ;  while  his  son  and  heir,  Sir  John  Johnson, 
succeeded  to  the  paternal  estates.  Colonel  Guy  continued 
the  favor  shown  by  his  father  to  Brant,  and  appointed  him 
his  secretary. 

In  the  spring  of  this  same  year  a  war  commenced,  the 
causes  of  which  have  been  variously  represented,  but 
whose  consequences  were  truly  disastrous.  We  allude  to 
the  scenes  in  western  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  so  inti 
mately  connected  with  the  names  of  Logan  and  Cresap. 
Colonel  Michael  Cresap  has  been,  for  many  years,  held  up 
to  public  odium  by  nearly  every  historian,  as  the  cruel  and 
wanton  murderer,  whose  unscrupulous  conduct  was  the  sole 
or  principal  cause  of  the  bloody  Indian  war  of  which  we 
are  now  to  speak,  and  which  is  still  spoken  of  as  Cresap's 
war.  On  the  other  hand,  some  recent  investigations, 
made  public  by  Mr.  Brantz  Mayer,  of  Baltimore,  in  an 
address  delivered  before  the  Maryland  Historical  Society, 
seems  to  remove  no  little  portion  of  this  responsibility 
from  the  shoulders  of  Cresap,  or  at  least  prove  that  the 
acts  with  which  his  name  has  been  so  long  associated  were 


332  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

not  directly  attributable  to  him.  He  is  shown  to  have 
been  a  prudent  and  cautious  man,  who  exerted  his  influ 
ence  to  restrain  the  reckless  adventurers  under  his  com 
mand  from  wanton  outrages  upon  the  Indians.  We  shall 
not  attempt  to  decide  upon  the  question  as  to  how  far  he 
was  blamable,  but  give,  in  few  words,  the  circumstances 
which  brought  about  hostilities. 

Logan  was  the  son  of  Shikellimus,  a  Cayuga  chief,  who 
had  removed  to  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  ruled 
over  those  of  the  Iroquois  who  had  settled  in  that  vicin 
ity.  Logan  himself  had  attained  authority  farther  to  the 
westward,  upon  the  Ohio,  in  the  Shawanese  country.  He 
had  ever  been  of  a  peaceful  disposition,  and  friendly  to  the 
whites. 

A  party  of  land-hunters,  who  had  chosen  Cresap  as 
their  leader,  are  said  to  have  committed  the  first  direct 
acts  of  hostility,  in  retaliation  for  a  supposed  theft  of  some 
of  their  horses.  We  are  told  that  they  fell  upon  and 
treacherously  murdered  several  of  a  party  of  Indians  whom 
they  fell  in  with,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  below  the  spot 
where  Wheeling  now  stands,  and  that  among  the  slain 
were  some  relatives  of  Logan.  With  the  next  rupture, 
Cresap  had  certainly  no  connection.  It  occurred  at  a  white 
settlement,  thirty  or  forty  miles  farther  up  the  river.  Two 
men,  named  Greathouse  and  Tomlinson,  were  the  prin 
cipal  leaders  in  the  affair.  They  had  ascertained  that  the 
Indians,  then  encamped  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
intended  an  attack  upon  the  place,  in  retaliation  for  the 
murders  committed  by  Cresap's  men.  Finding,  on  exam 
ination,  that  the  Indians  were  too  numerous  to  be  safely 
assaulted  in  their  camp,  Greathouse  opened  a  communica 
tion  with  them,  and  invited  them  to  come  and  drink  and 
feast  at  his  house.  A  party  of  armed  whites  lay  concealed 
in  a  separate  apartment,  and  when  the  Indians  became  in' 
toxicated,  slaughtered  the  whole  number,  of  both  sexes, 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OB   SIX  NATIONS.  333 

sparing  only  one  child.  A  brother  and  sister  of  Logan 
were  among  the  slain.  Mr.  Mayer's  account  (in  which 
the  scene  is  laid  at  the  house  of  "Baker/'  instead  of 
Greathouse,)  is  as  follows : 

"  The  evening  before  the  tragedy,  a  squaw  came  over  to 
Baker's,  and  aroused  the  attention  of  the  inmates  by  her 
tears  and  manifest  distress.  For  a  long  time  she  refused 
to  disclose  tile  cause  of  her  sorrow,  but  at  last,  when  left 
alone  with  Baker's  wife,  confessed  that  the  Indians  had 
resolved  to  kill  the  white  woman  and  her  family  the  next 
day ;  but  as  she  loved  her,  and  did  not  wish  to  see  her 
slain,  she  had  crossed  the  river  to  divulge  the  plot,  so  as  to 
enable  her  friend  to  escape."  Next  day  four  unarmed 
Indians,  with  three  squaws  and  a  child,  came  over  to 
Baker's  house,  where  twenty-one  men  were  concealed,  in 
anticipation  of  attack,  as  above  mentioned.  The  party 
became  intoxicated,  and  Logan's  brother  was  insulting  and 
abusive  :  at  the  same  time  canoes  filled  with  painted  and 
armed  warriors  were  seen  starting  from  the  opposite  shore ; 
upon  which  the  massacre  commenced  as  above  stated. 
After  this  savage  murder  of  women  and  unarmed  men,  the 
whites  left  the  house,  and,  firing  upon  the  canoes,  pre 
vented  their  landing. 

These  occurrences,  with  the  death  of  the  old  Delaware 
chief,  Bald  Eagle,  who  was  causelessly  murdered,  scalped, 
and  set  adrift  down  the  river  in*  his  canoe,  and  the  murder 
of  the  Shawanees  sachem,  Silver  Heels,  brought  down  the 
vengeance  of  the  aggrieved  parties  upon  the  devoted  set 
tlements. 

The  ensuing  summer  witnessed  terrible  scenes  of  sur 
prise  and  massacre,  the  chief  mover  in  which  was  the  in 
jured  Logan.  Stirred  as  he  was  by  revenge,  the  natural 
kindness  of  his  heart  was  shown  in  his  disposition  towards 
captives,  whom,  in  various  instances,  he  favored  and  saved 
from  Indian  cruelties. 


334  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

The  hostile  tribes  were  those  of  the  Iroquois  who  dwelt 
in  the  western  country,  the  Shawanees,  the  Delawares,  the 
lowas,  and  other  nations  of  the  west.  Indecisive  skir 
mishes  occupied  the  summer,  and  not  until  the  10th  of 
October  was  any  general  engagement  brought  about.  On 
that  day  a  battle  was  fought  at  Point  Pleasant,  where  the 
Great  Kanawha  empties  into  the  Ohio,  between  the  com 
bined  forces  of  the  Indians,  and  the  Virginia  troops,  under 
Colonel  Andrew  Lewis.  Lord  Dunmore,  governor  of 
Virginia,  was  to  cooperate  by  a  movement  upon  the  other 
bank  of  the  river,  but  did  not  actually  take  any  part  in  the 
contest. 

The  Indians  numbered  probably  over  a  thousand,  and 
were  led  by  Logan  and  the  great  warrior  Cornstock. 
Never  had  the  natives  fought  more  desperately,  or  made  a 
stand  against  European  troops  with  more  determined  firm 
ness.  They  had  prepared  a  sort  of  breast-work,  behind 
which  they  maintained  their  position,  in  spite  of  the  re 
peated  charges  of  the  whites,  until  night.  They  were  at 
last  driven  from  their  works  by  a  company  detached  to  fall 
upon  their  rear,  and,  crossing  the  Ohio,  the  survivors  re 
treated  westward. 

At  Chilicothe,  on  the  Sciota,  the  chiefs  held  a  grand 
consultation  j  and  their  principal  warrior,  Cornstock,  seeing 
that  the  rest  were  determined  upon  no  certain  plan  of  pro 
ceeding,  expressed  his  own  intention  of  concluding  a  peace. 
He  accordingly  sought  Lord  Dunmore,  who  was  approach 
ing  the  camp  on  the  Sciota,  and  brought  about  a  series 
of  conferences,  whereby  hostilities  were  for  the  time 
stayed. 

Logan  would  take  no  part  in  these  negotiations ;  he  is 
reported  to  have  said  that  "  he  was  yet  like  a  mad  dog ; 
his  bristles  were  up,  and  were  not  yet  quite  fallen ;  but 
the  good  talk  then  going  forward  might  allay  them."  A 
messenger  was  sent  by  Lord  Dunmore  to  strive  to  ap- 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.'  335 

pease  him,  and  it  was  upon  that  occasion  that  the  Indian 
chief  delivered  himself  of  those  eloquent  expressions  that 
have  attained  such  a  world-wide  celebrity.  He  walked 
into  the  woods  with  Gibson,  who  had  been  sent  to  visit 
him,  and,  seating  himself  upon  a  log,  "  burst  into  tears,"  and 
gave  utterance  to  his  feelings  in  these  words,  as  they  were 
written  down  and  reported  at  the  time  : 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say  if  ever  he  entered 
Logan's  cabin  hungry,  and  he  gave  him  not  meat ;  if  ever 
he  came  cold  and  naked,  and  he  clothed  him  not  ?  During 
the  course  of  the  last  long  and  bloody  war,  Logan  re 
mained  idle  in  his  camp,  an  advocate  for  peace.  Such  was 
my  love  for  the  whites,  that  my  countrymen  pointed  as  I 
passed,  and  said,  '  Logan  is  the  friend  of  the  white  man !  ' 
I  had  even  thought  to  have  lived  with  you,  but  for  the  in 
juries  of  one  man.  Colonel  Cresap,  the  last  spring,  in  cold 
blood  and  unprovoked,  murdered  all  the  relations  of  Logan, 
not  even  sparing  my  women  and  children.  There  rims  not 
a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins  of  any  living  creature. 
This  called  on  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought  it.  I  have 
killed  many.  I  have  fully  glutted  my  vengeance.  For 
my  country,  I  rejoice  at  the  beams  of  peace ;  but  do  not 
harbor  a  thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never 
felt  fear.  He  will  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his  life. 
"Who  is  there  to  mourn  for  Logan  ?  Not  one  !  " 

The  subsequent  history  of  this  renowned  warrior  is  soon 
told.  He  led  a  wandering,  intemperate  life  for  several 
years,  and  took  part  in  the  wars  at  the  west  in  1779  and 
1780.  He  is  described  as  having  become  melancholy  and 
wretched  in  the  extreme,  and  as  being  deprived  of  the  full 
use  of  his  reason  by  the  pernicious  habit  of  indulging  in 
strong  drink.  He  came  to  his  death  in  the  latter  year 
under  singular  circumstances.  He  had,  as  he  supposed, 
killed  his  wife  during  a  fit  of  intoxication,  and  fled  from 
Detroit,  where  he  had  been  present  at  an  Indian  council, 


336  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

to  evade  the  punishment  awarded  by  the  native  code.  On 
his  way  towards  Sandusky,  he  fell  in  with  a  large  party  of 
Indians,  among  whom  was  a  relative  of  his,  named  Tod- 
kah-dohs,  and  whom  he  took  to  be  the  one  appointed  to 
avenge  the  murder.  According  to  Mr.  Mayer's  account, 
"  rashly  bursting  forth  into  frantic  passion,  he  exclaimed, 
that  the  whole  party  should  fall  beneath  his  weapons. 
Tod-kah-dohs,  seeing  their  danger,  and  observing  that 
Logan  was  well  armed,  told  his  companions  that  their  only 
safety  was  in  getting  the  advantage  of  the  desperate  man 
by  prompt  action.  Whilst  leaping  from  his  horse,  to  ex 
ecute  his  dreadful  threat,  Tod-kah-dohs  levelled  a  shot 
gun  within  a  few  feet  of  the  savage,  and  killed  him  on  the 
spot." 

It  may  well  be  supposed  the  whole  of  the  Iroquois  tribe 
should  have  been  roused  to  indignation  by  the  occurrence 
which  we  have  described,  and  in  which  some  of  their  own 
brethren  had  borne  so  conspicuous  a  part.  We  are  told 
that  this  was  the  case  with  all  of  them  except  the  Oneidas, 
and  that  disaffection  towards  the  colonies  had  become  gen 
eral  among  the  western  tribes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

HISTORY  OF  BRANT  CONTINUED :   CONNECTION  OF   THE   SIX   NATIONS 
WITH  THE  WAR  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. 

IN  the  year  1775,  when  difficulties  between  the  Ameri 
can  colonies  and  the  old  country  were  rife,  and  the  pros 
pect  of  a  long  and  desperate  contention  kept  the  minds  of 
all  in  fear  and  anxiety,  it  was  felt  to  be  necessary  on  the 
part  of  the  Americans,  and  politic  on  the  part  of  the  English, 
to  use  every  endeavor  to  secure  the  services  of  the  Six 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  337 

Nations.  The  remembrance  of  their  noble  patron,  Sir 
William  Johnson,  caused  the  Mohawks  and  many  others 
of  the  confederacy  to  adhere  firmly  to  his  son-in-law  and 
successor,  Guy  Johnson,  and  when  he  fled  westward  to  the 
lakes,  to  avoid  the  danger  of  capture  by  the  Americans, 
Brant  and  the  principal  warriors  of  the  tribe  accompanied 
him.  A  great  meeting  was  held  by  them,  to  discuss  the 
policy  which  they  should  pursue  ;  after  which,  Johnson 
and  his  chiefs  proceeded  to  Montreal,  followed  by  a  strong 
body  of  Indian  warriors.  Sir  Guy  Carleton  encouraged 
the  Iroquois  sachems  to  accept  commissions  under  the  king, 
and,  what  with  his  promises,  their  attachment  to  the  John 
son  family,  and  the  remembrance  of  old  pledges,  they  were 
tho^ughly  confirmed  in  their  purpose  of  taking  a  decided 
stand  in  favor  of  the  royal  cause. 

The  efforts  of  the  Americans  proved  less  successful.  By 
the  aid  of  a  Mr.  Kirkland,  missionary  to  the  Oneidas,  the 
favor  of  that  tribe  was  greatly  conciliated.  His  efforts 
were  assisted  by  the  influence  of  the  Indians  of  Stock- 
bridge,  a  town  in  western  Massachusetts.  These  were  the 
remains  of  various  celebrated  tribes  which  had  long  ceased 
to  maintain  a  separate  national  existence.  The  principal 
portion  of  them  were  descendants  of  the  ancient  Mohea- 
kannuk,  Mohicans,  or  River  Indians,  who  dwelt  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson  in  the  early  times  of  American  colo 
nization  ;  but  with  them  were  associated  many  of  the  Nar- 
ragansetts  and  Pequots,  from  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut. 
They  were  entirely  under  the  influence  of  the  Americans, 
and  favorable  to  their  cause. 

A  very  touching  incident  of  private  history,  connected 
with  this  collection  of  dismembered  tribes  after  their  re 
moval  westward,  has  been  immortalized  in  the  beautiful 
poetical  legend  by  Bryant,  entitled  "  Monument  Mountain." 
The  mountain  stands  in  Great  Barrington,  (western  Mas 
sachusetts,)  overlooking  the  rich  and  picturesque  valley  of 


338  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  Housatonic.  The  following  note  is  appended  to  the 
poem.  "  Until  within  a  few  years  past,  small  parties  of 
that  tribe  used  to  arrive,  from  their  settlement,  in  the 
western  part  of  the  state  of  New  York,  on  visits  to  Stock- 
bridge,  the  place  of  their  nativity  and  former  residence. 
A  young  woman,  belonging  to  one  of  these  parties,  related 
to  a  friend  of  the  author  the  story  on  which  the  poem  of 
Monument  Mountain  is  founded.  An  Indian  girl  had 
formed  an  attachment  for  her  cousin,  which,  according  to 
the  customs  of  the  tribe,  was  unlawful.  She  was,  in  con 
sequence,  seized  with  a  deep  melancholy,  and  resolved  to 
destroy  herself.  In  company  with  a  female  friend,  she 
repaired  to  the  mountain,  decked  out  for  the  occasion  in 
all  her  ornaments,  and  after  passing  the  day  on  the  sum 
mit,  in  singing,  with  her  companion,  the  traditional  songs 
of  her  nation,  she  threw  herself  headlong  from  the  rock, 
and  was  killed." 

«  *     *     *     Here  the  friends  sat  them  down, 
And  sang  all  day  old  songs  of  love  and  death, 
And  decked  the  poor  wan  victim's  hair  with  flowers, 
And  prayed  that  safe  and  swift  might  be  her  way 
To  the  calm  world  of  sunshine,  where  no  grief 
Makes  the  heart  heavy,  and  the  eyelids  red." 

A  conical  pile  of  stones  marks  the  spot  where  she  was 
buried,  on  the  southern  slope  of  the  mountain. 

The  regular  successor  to  old  king  Hendric,  among  the 
Mohawks,  was  Little  Abraham,  a  chief  well  disposed  to 
wards  the  Americans,  and  who  remained  in  the  Mohawk 
valley  when  Johnson  and  his  followers  fled  to  Canada. 
He  appears  to  have  possessed  but  little  authority  during 
the  subsequent  difficulties,  and  Brant,  by  a  sort  of  univer 
sal  consent  among  those  in  the  English  interest,  obtained 
the  position  of  principal  chief.  He  was  commissioned  as 
a  captain  in  the  British  army,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1T75, 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  339 

sailed  to  England,  to  hold  personal  conference  with  the 
officers  of  government. 

He  was  an  object  of  much  curiosity  at  London,  and  at 
tracted  the  attention  of  persons  of  high  rank  and  great 
celebrity.  His  court  dress  was  a  brilliant  equipment  mod 
elled  upon  the  fashions  of  his  own  race  ;  but  ordinarily  he 
appeared  in  the  usual  citizen's  dress  of  the  time. 

Confirmed  in  his  loyalty  to  the  English  crown,  Brant 
returned  to  America  in  the  ensuing  spring.  He  was  se 
cretly  landed  at  some  spot  near  New  York,  and  made  the 
best  of  his  way  to  Canada.  The  journey  was  fraught  with 
danger  to  such  a  traveller,  through  a  disturbed  and  excited 
community,  but  the  native  sagacity  and  watchfulness  of  the 
Indian  enabled  our  chief  to  avoid  them. 

Brant  was  gladly  received,  and  the  services  of  his  war 
like  Mohawks  were  promptly  called  into  requisition.  He 
led  his  people  at  the  affair  of  "  the  Cedars,"  which  termi 
nated  so  disastrously  for  the  American  interests.  We  can 
not  minutely  follow  his  movements,  nor  those  of  the  several 
Iroquois  tribes,  for  a  considerable  period  subsequent  to 
these  events.  Those  were  stirring  times,  and  in  the  mo 
mentous  detail  of  the  birth  of  American  independence,  it 
is  not  always  easy  to  follow  out  any  private  history. 

Colonel  Stone,  in  his  life  of  Brant,  gives  us  the  follow 
ing  speech,  as  coming,  at  the  beginning  of  the  ensuing 
year,  from  the  chiefs  of  the  Oneiclas  to  Colonel  Elmore, 
commandant  at  fort  Schuyler.  He  does  not  attempt  to  ex 
plain  the  full  import  of  it  : 

"  FORT  SCHUYLER,  Jan.  19th,  1777. 
"  Speech  of  tlie  Oneida  Chiefs  to  Colonel  Elmore. 
"  BROTHER  :  We  are   sent  here  by  the  Oneida  chiefs,  in 
conjunction   with   the   Onondagas.      They    arrived    at   our 
village   yesterday.      They   gave    us   the   melancholy  news 
that  the  grand  council-fire  at  Onondaga  was  extinguished. 
"We  have  lost,  out  of  their  town,  by  death,  ninety,  among 
20 


340  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

whom  are  three  principal  sachems.  We,  the  remaining 
part  of  the  Onondagas,  do  now  inform  our  brethren  that 
there  is  no  longer  a  council-fire  at  the  capital  of  the  Six 
Nations.  However,  we  are  determined  to  use  our  feeble 
endeavors  to  support  peace  through  the  confederate  na 
tions.  But  let  this  be  kept  in  mind,  that  the  council-fire 
is  extinguished.  It  is  of  importance  to  our  well-being, 
that  this  be  immediately  communicated  to  General  Schuy- 
ler,  and  also  to  our  brothers  the  Mohawks.  In  order  to 
effect  this,  we  deposit  this  belt  with  Tekeyanedonhotte, 
Colonel  Elmore,  commander  at  Fort  Schuyler,  who  is  sent 
here  by  General  Schuyler  to  transact  all  matters  relative 
to  peace.  We  therefore  request  him  to  forward  this  intel 
ligence,  in  the  first  place  to  General  Herkimer,  desiring 
him  to  communicate  it  to  the  Mohawk  Castle  near  to  him, 
and  then  to  Major  Fonda,  requesting  him  to  immediately 
communicate  it  to  the  lower  castle  of  the  Mohawks.  Let 
the  belt  then  be  forwarded  to  General  Schuyler,  that  he 
may  know  that  our  council-fire  is  extinguished,  and  can  no 
longer  burn." 

Towards  the  close  of  the  winter  of  1777,  it  was  found 
that  the  Indians  were  collecting  in  force  at  Oghkwaga,  on 
the  Susquehanna,  and  the  fears  of  the  colonial  population 
of  the  vicinity  were  justly  excited,  although  no  open  dem 
onstrations  of  hostility  had  been  made  by  them.  In  the 
course  of  the  spring,  Brant  and  his  followers  proceeded 
across  the  country,  from  Canada  to  Oghkwaga,  He  had 
disagreed  with  his  superior,  Guy  Johnson.  The  whites 
were  in  great  doubt  as  to  what  course  this  renowned  chief 
would  take  in  the  struggle  then  going  forward,  but  he 
seemed  only  to  occupy  himself  in  collecting  and  disciplin 
ing  his  warriors.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  he 
was  the  leader  of  a  party  of  Indians  who  threatened  the 
little  fortification  at  Cherry-Valley,  in  the  month  of  May. 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  341 

The  only  blood  shed  upon  the  occasion  was  that  of  Lieu 
tenant  Wormwood,  a  young  officer  whom  the  Indians 
waylaid  and  shot,  as  he  was  leaving  the  place,  accompa 
nied  by  a  single  companion,  bearing  despatches.  Brant  is 
said  to  have  scalped  him  with  his  own  hand.  The  Indian 
chief  was  deceived  as  to  the  strength  of  the  place,  by  the 
duplicity  of  the  despatches,  and  by  the  circumstance  that 
a  number  of  boys  were  going  through  military  evolutions 
at  the  settlement,  whom  he  mistook,  in  the  distance,  for 
soldiers.  He  therefore  retired  without  making  any  further 
demonstration. 

In  June,  he  visited  Unadilla,  on  the  small  river  of  the 
same  name,  which  empties  into  the  Susquehanna,  forming 
the  boundary  between  Otsego  and  Chenango  counties. 
His  purpose  was  to  procure  provisions,  which  were  per 
force  furnished  him ;  as  he  avowed  his  intention  to  take 
them  by  violence,  if  necessary.  At  a  conference  held,  at 
this  time,  with  some  of  the  authorities,  Brant  expressed 
himself  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  royal  cause,  alluding  to 
the  old  covenants  and  treaties  which  his  nation  had  in  for 
mer  times  entered  into  with  the  king,  and  complaining  of 
ill-treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  the  colonists. 

Shortly  after,  during  this  same  month,  General  Herki- 
mer,  of  the  American  militia,  took  a  strong  force  with  him, 
and  started  for  Brant's  head-quarters,  whether  with  inten 
tion  of  attacking  him,  or  merely  to  treat  upon  terms  of 
equality,  hardly  appears. 

Brant  was  very  cautious  of  trusting  himself  in  the  ene 
mies'  hands.  He  did  not  show  himself  for  a  week  after 
Herkimer's  arrival,  and  when  he  finally  appeared,  and 
consented  to  a  conference,  he  was  accompanied  and  de 
fended  by  five  hundred  Indian  warriors.  Every  precau 
tion  was  taken  against  treachery ;  the  meeting  was  held  at 
a  temporary  building  erected  midway  between  the  two 
encampments,  and  the  respective  parties  were  to  assemble 


342  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

at  the  spot  unarmed.  The  Indian  chief  took  with  him  a 
guard  of  about  forty  warriors,  and  was  accompanied  by 
one  Captain  Bull,  of  the  English  party,  and  by  his  nephew, 
William  Johnson,  a  son  of  Molly  Brant  by  Sir  William. 

General  Herkimer  had  long  been  on  terms  of  friendship 
with  Brant,  before  the  troubles  arose  between  England  and 
the  American  colonies,  and  he  vainly  hoped  to  be  able  to 
influence  and  persuade  him  into  complaisance  towards  the 
new  government.  Thayendanegea  was  suspicious,  and 
looked  with  an  evil  eye  upon  the  hostile  array  of  troops, 
shrewdly  questioning  the  necessity  for  such  preparations 
for  a  mere  meeting  of  conference.  He  fully  confirmed  the 
supposition  that  he  was  determined  to  support  the  king, 
and  evinced  a  proud  dependence  upon  the  power  and 
courage  of  his  own  tribe. 

The  parley  terminated  most  unsatisfactorily,  and  another 
appointment  was  made.  We  are  sorry  to  record  an  in 
stance  of  such  unpardonable  treachery  as  Herkimer  is  said 
to  have  planned  at  this  juncture.  One  of  his  men,  Joseph 
Waggoner,  affirmed  that  the  general  privately  exhorted 
him  to  arrange  matters  so  that  Brant  and  his  three  prin 
cipal  associates  might  be  assassinated  when  they  should 
present  themselves  at  the  place  of  meeting.  The  Indian 
chief,  when  he  came  to  the  council,  kept  a  large  body  of 
his  warriors  within  call,  so  that  the  design,  even  if  it  had 
been  seriously  entertained  by  Waggoner,  could  not  be 
safely  carried  out. 

Brant  counselled  the  general  to  go  quietly  home,  as  he 
could  not  but  perceive  how  much  he  was  out-numbered  if 
his  intent  was  hostile.  He  disavowed  any  present  inimi 
cal  design.  Herkimer  accordingly  took  his  departure, 
and  Brant,  not  long  after,  marched  his  warriors  to  the 
British  place  of  rendezvous,  at  Oswego.  Here  a  great 
council  was  held  with  the  Indian  tribes  by  English  emissa 
ries,  who  enlarged  upon  the  ingratitude  and  rebellious 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  343 

spirit  of  the  provinces,  and  compared  the  power  and  wealth 
of  their  own  monarch  with  the  poverty  of  the  Americans. 

Abundance  of  finery  and  warlike  implements  were 
spread  before  the  greedy  eyes  of  the  warriors,  and  they 
were  told  that  "  the  king  was  rich  and  powerful,  both  in 
money  and  subjects.  His  rum  was  as  plenty  as  the  water 
in  Lake  Ontario,  and  his  men  as  numerous  as  the  sands 
upon  its  shore  ;  and  the  Indians  were  assured  that,  if  they 
would  assist  in  the  war,  and  persevere  in  their  friendship 
for  the  king  until  its  close,  they  should  never  want  for 
goods  or  money." 

The  bargain  was  struck  accordingly,  and  each  warrior 
who  pledged  himself  to  the  royal  cause  received,  as  earn 
est  of  future  favors,  a  suit  of  clothes,  a  brass  kettle,  a 
tomahawk,  a  scalping-knife,  and  a  supply  of  ammunition, 
besides  a  small  present  in  money.  The  sagacity  and 
enterprise  of  the  chief,  whose  power  was  now  almost 
universally  submitted  to  by  those  of  the  Six  Nations  that 
favored  the  cause  of  the  king,  rendered  the  alliance  a 
formidable  one. 

The  gloomy  prospects  of  the  colonies,  disheartened  as 
they  were  by  reverses  and  pecuniary  distress,  grew  tenfold 
darker  at  the  apprehension  of  such  a  bloody  and  cruel 
border  warfare  as  they  might  now  anticipate.  Exaggerated 
tales  were  every  where  circulated  of  the  extent  of  Indian 
depredations  and  cruelties.  There  was,  indeed,  sufficient 
foundation  in  truth  for  the  greatest  apprehension  and  dis 
tress.  It  is  due  to  many  of  the  British  commanding 
officers  to  say  that  they  bitterly  regretted  the  association 
of  their  party  with  a  horde  of  murderous  savages,  over 
whose  acts  they  could  exercise  no  control,  when  out  of 
their  immediate  influence.  Burgoyne  refused  to  pay  the 
expected  bounty  for  scalps,  to  the  intense  disgust  of  his 
Indian  forces  ;  and,  to  the  remonstrance  on  the  part  of 
the  American  general,  against  the  permission  of  the  bloody 


344  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

scenes  which  were  continually  enacting,  he  returned  an 
eloquent  disclaimer  of  participation  in  or  encouragement 
of  such  acts. 

A  large  population  of  those  who  resided  in  the  districts 
more  immediately  exposed,  were  driven  from  their  dwell 
ings  by  the  fear  of  Indian  cruelties.  During  Burgoyne's 
advance,  an  incident  occurred  which  excited  the  strongest 
emotions  of  horror  and  indignation  throughout  the  country. 
"We  allude  to  the  well-known  tale  of  the  murder  of  Miss 
Jane  McCrea.  Few  incidents  have  attracted  more  notice 
in  the  whole  course  of  Indian  warfare  than  this,  and  few 
have  been  reported  in  so  variant  and  distorted  a  style. 
Miss  McCrea  was  the  daughter  of  a  gentleman  of  New 
Jersey,  and  was  residing,  at  the  period  of  our  present 
narrative,  with  her  brother  John,  near  Fort  Edward,  upon 
the  Hudson,  within  a  few  miles  of  Saratoga.  Her  family 
was  of  the  royal  party,  and  she  was  herself  engaged  to 
marry  a  young  officer  by  the  name  of  Jones,  then  on  duty 
in  Burgoyne's  army. 

The  promised  husband  commissioned  a  few  Indians  to 
go  to  the  young  lady's  dwelling,  and  escort  her  thence  to 
the  British  camp.  Against  the  urgent  entreaties  of  her 
friends,  she  put  herself  under  the  protection  of  these  un 
certain  messengers,  and  started  for  the  encampment.  Her 
lover,  anxious  that  his  errand  should  be  faithfully  per 
formed,  despatched  a  second  party  to  join  the  convoy.  The 
two  companies  met  a  short  distance  from  Fort  Edward, 
and  were  proceeding  together  when  they  were  attacked 
by  a  party  of  Americans.  "  At  the  close  of  the  skirmish," 
says  Stone,  "  the  body  of  Miss  McCrea  was  found  among 
the  slain  —  tomahawked,  scalped,  and  tied  to  a  pine-tree, 
yet  standing  by  the  side  of  the  spring,  as  a  monument  of 
the  bloody  transaction.  The  name  of  the  young  lady  is 
inscribed  on  the  tree,  the  trunk  of  which  is  thickly  scarred 
with  the  bullets  it  received  in  the  skirmish.  It  also  bears 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  345 

the  date  1777."  He  cites  further  from  Silliman  :  "  Tradi 
tion  reports  that  the  Indians  divided  the  scalp,  and  that 
each  party  carried  half  of  it  to  the  agonized  lover." 

The  account  usually  received  of  the  manner  in  which 
her  death  was  brought  about  is,  that  the  chiefs  of  the  two 
Indian  companies,  quarrelling  as  to  which  should  receive 
the  reward  (a  barrel  of  rum)  promised  by  Jones,  one  of 
them,  to  end  the  dispute,  buried  his  tomahawk  in  the  head 
of  their  charge. 

During  this  month,  (July,)  General  Barry  St.  Leger 
marched  from  Oswego,  with  nearly  two  thousand  whites 
and  Indians  —  the  latter  led  by  Thayendanegea  —  to  the 
investiture  of  Fort  Stanwix.  This  stronghold  of  the  pro 
vincial  party  occupied  the  spot  where  Rome  now  stands, 
in  Oneida  county,  near  the  head-waters  of  the  Mohawk. 
The  post  was  afterwards  called  Fort  Schuyler.  The  forces 
of  St.  Leger  beset  the  fort  on  the  od  of  August. 

The  most  interesting  event  connected  with  the  part 
taken  by  the  Indians  in  this  siege,  is  the  bloody  battle  of 
Oriskany.  The  brave  old  soldier,  General  Herkimer,  with 
from  eight  hundred  to  a  thousand  militia  and  volunteers, 
hastened  to  relieve  the  garrison  as  soon  as  the  news  of  St. 
Leger's  design  was  brought.  Unfortunately,  the  English 
commander  obtained  information  of  the  approach  of  ree'n- 
forcements  in  sufficient  season  to  prepare  an  ambuscade  at 
a  spot  the  most  disadvantageous  possible  for  the  advancing 
troops.  Where  a  marshy  ravine,  over  which  the  path  of 
the  American  army  was  carried  by  a  causeway,  partially 
enclosed  a  dry  and  level  tract,  Brant  and  his  warriors,  with 
a  body  of  English  troops,  lay  concealed.  Before  Herkimer 
and  his  men  were  aware  of  danger,  the  main  portion  of 
their  number  was  completely  surrounded,  and  cut  off  from 
the  baggage  and  rear-guard. 

Broken  and  disordered  by  the  murderous  and  unex 
pected  fire  of  the  enemy,  the  Americans  met  with  terrible 


346  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

loss.  Ketreat  was  out  of  the  question,  and  gradually,  en 
couraged  by  the  exhortations  of  their  brave  commander, 
who,  although  severely  wounded,  sat  supported  by  a  tree, 
coolly  issuing  his  orders,  they  formed  defensive  circles. 
Such  scenes  of  desperate  hand  to  hand  fighting  as  ensued 
have  seldom  been  recorded.  The  destruction  on  both 
sides  was  great,  more  than  two  hundred  of  the  Americans 
being  killed  on  the  spot.  Both  parties  laid  claim  to  a  vic 
tory  ;  but  it  appears  sufficiently  certain  that  the  Indians 
were  dispersed,  while  the  provincial  militia  held  their 
ground.  The  purpose  of  the  advance  was,  indeed,  defeated, 
except  so  far  as  it  gave  opportunity  for  a  successful  sally 
from  the  fort,  in  which  the  British  were  driven  from  their 
encampment,  and  a  great  quantity  of  valuable  booty  was 
obtained. 

One  who  passed  the  spot  where  the  battle  of  Oriskany 
was  fought,  a  few  days  afterwards,  writes  :  "  I  beheld  the 
most  shocking  sight  I  had  ever  witnessed.  The  Indians 
and  white  men  were  mingled  with  one  another,  just  as 
they  had  been  left  when  death  had  first  completed  his 
work.  Many  bodies  had  also  been  torn  to  pieces  by  wild 
beasts."  The  veteran  commander  of  the  provincials  died 
in  consequence  of  the  wound  he  had  received.  The  loss 
experienced  by  the  Mohawks  and  others  of  the  Six 
Nations  who  took  part  in  the  engagement,  was  long  re 
membered  and  lamented  by  their  tribes. 

Notwithstanding  the  reverses  that  followed ;  the  discom 
fiture  of  the  English ;  the  growing  power  and  confidence 
of  the  Americans ;  and  the  long  and  eloquent  appeal  of 
mingled  warning  and  conciliation  communicated  to  them 
by  Congress,  all  of  the  Six  Nations  except  the  Oneidas 
and  the  Tuscaroras  remained,  at  the  close  of  the  year,  fast 
friends  of  the  king.  The  poverty  of  the  colonies  prohib 
ited  that  display  of  rewards  which  the  loyalists  could 
proffer,  and  constant  intimacy  enabled  the  politic  officers 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  347 

of  the  crown  to  sway  the  ignorant  minds  of  the  Indians, 
and  to  teach  them  to  look  upon  their  white  countrymen  as 
an  unprincipled  people,  engaged  in  a  hopeless  as  well  as 
causeless  rebellion. 


CHAPTER    V. 

CONTINUATION   OF  REVOLUTIONARY   INCIDENTS. 

THE  year  17 78  opened  unfavorably  for  American  in 
fluence  over  the  border  savages.  Johnson  and  Butler, 
aided  by  Joseph  Brant,  in  behalf  of  the  crown,  had  been 
unwearied  in  their  efforts  to  win  over  the  Indians  of  the 
west  to  their  master's  cause.  In  vain  was  a  council  called 
by  the  provincial  congress  for  the  purpose  of  making  one 
more  effort  to  induce  the  Six  Nations  to  adopt  a  neutral 
policy.  An  incomplete  deputation,  from  all  the  tribes 
except  the  Senecas,  did  indeed  assemble  at  Johnstown,  in 
Tryon  county,  during  the  month  of  March,  the  result  of 
which  meeting  only  strengthened  the  conviction  that  noth 
ing  but  enmity  was  to  be  looked  for  on  the  part  of  the 
great  body  of  the  nation.  There  was  too  great  reason  to 
fear  that  the  Indians  of  the  far  west  were  successfully 
dealt  with  by  emissaries  on  the  part  of  the  loyalists. 

Brant  returned  to  his  old  quarters  at  Oghkwaga,  and  its 
vicinity,  and  lent  himself  heart  and  soul  to  the  work  of 
harassing  and  plundering  the  colonists.  ^  Although,  as 
the  chief  of  his  nation,  no  small  portion  of  the  enormities 
committed  by  the  Indian  predatory  bands,  was  attributed 
to  his  direct  influence,  it  is  due  to  Brant  to  say,  that  few 
among  his  companions-in-arms  showed  an  equal  regard  for 
the  laws  of  humanity.  Many  an  instance  is  recorded  of 
his  interference,  even  in  the  heat  of  conflict,  to  stay  the 
hand  uplifted  against  the  feeble  and  helpless.  He  was,  it 


348  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

is  true,  a  fierce  partisan  warrior,  and,  in  one  of  his  letters, 
avowed  his  intent  to  "  fight  the  cruel  rebels,"  as  well  as  he 
could  ;  but  he  seldom,  if  ever,  evinced  that  savage  cruelty 
towards  a  conquered  foe  which  disgraced  his  Indian  and 
white  associates. 

While  the  war  lasted,  there  was  no  rest  or  safety  for  the 
inhabitants  of  that  extensive  district  bordering  on  the 
enemies'  country  —  from  Saratoga,  south-westward  to  the 
Susquehanna.  Brant  commenced  operations  in  person,  by 
an  attack  on  Springfield,  a  small  place  at  the  head  of  Ot- 
sego  lake.  He  drove  off  or  took  prisoners  all  the  men,  and 
assembling  the  women  and  children  for  safety,  burned  all 
the  town  except  the  house  where  they  were  collected.  He 
then  retired,  offering  them  no  injury. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  a  descent  was  planned  upon 
the  settlements  in  the  valley  of  Wyoming,  upon  the  Sus- 
quehanna,  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania. 
Some  three  hundred  British  regulars  and  tory  volunteers, 
accompanied  by  about  five  hundred  of  their  Indian  allies, 
marched  from  Niagara.  They  were  led  by  Colonel  John 
Butler.  It  has  been  a  commonly  received  opinion  that 
Brant  was  the  chief  under  whom  the  Indian  portion  of  the 
army  was  mustered,  but  it  is  now  believed  that  he  had  as  lit 
tle  share  in  this  campaign  as  in  many  other  scenes  of  blood 
long  coupled  with  his  name.  There  is  no  proof  that  he  was 
present  at  any  of  the  scenes  that  we  are  about  to  relate. 

No  portion  of  the  whole  history  of  the  revolution  has 
been  so  distorted  in  the  narration  as  that  connected  with 
the  laying  waste  of  the  valley  of  Wyoming.  No  two  ac 
counts  seem  to  agree,  and  historians  have  striven  to  outdo 
each  other  in  the  violence  of  their  expressions  of  indigna 
tion  at  cruelties  and  horrors  which  existed  only  in  their 
own  imaginations,  or  which  came  to  them  embellished 
with  all  the  exaggeration  incident  to  reports  arising  amid 
scenes  of  excitement  and  bloodshed. 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  349 

Wyoming  had,,  for  many  years,  been  the  scene  of  the 
bitterest  hostility  between  the  settlers  under  the  Connecti 
cut  grant  and  those  from  Pennsylvania.  Although  these 
warlike  operations  were  upon  a  small  scale,  they  were  con 
ducted  with  great  vindictiveness  and  treachery.  Blood 
was  frequently  shed  ;  and,  as  either  party  obtained  the  .as 
cendency,  small  favor  was  shown  to  their  opponents,  who 
were  generally  driven  from  their  homes  in  hopeless  desti 
tution.  We  cannot  go  into  a  history  of  these  early  trans 
actions,  and  only  mention  them  as  explanatory  of  the 
feelings  of  savage  animosity  which  were  exhibited  between 
neighbors,  and  even  members  of  the  same  families,  who 
had  espoused  opposite  interests  in  the  revolutionary  contest. 

As  John  Butler  and  his  forces  entered  the  north-west 
ern  portion  of  the  valley,  having  descended  the  Susque- 
hanna  upon  rafts,  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  towns 
made  the  best  preparations  in  their  power  to  resist  the  in 
vasion.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  was  in  command  of  a 
company  of  regular  continental  troops,  and  with  about 
three  hundred  of  the  militia,  collected  in  the  valley,  he 
marched  on  the  3d  of  July,  to  check,  and,  if  possible,  dis 
perse  the  invaders.  It  was  intended  to  take  the  enemy 
by  surprise  at  their  encampment,  (at  Tort  Wintermoot,) 
but  the  vigilance  of  the  Indian  sentinels  betrayed  the  ad 
vancing  forces.  They  found  the  royalists  drawn  up,  and 
ready  to  give  them  battle.  Their  line  was  extended  from 
the  river,  on  their  left,  to  a  marsh,  beyond  which  rose  the 
mountain  range  which  bounded  the  valley.  The  Indian 
warriors  were  stationed  at  the  right  by  the  borders  of  the 
swamp. 

The  whole  line  was  simultaneously  attacked  by  the  pro 
vincials,  as  they  came  up.  Colonel  Dennison,  who  com 
manded  the  left  wing  of  the  American  army,  perceiving 
that  a  strong  body  of  the  Indians  had  forced  their  way 
through  the  marsh,  and  were  about  to  attack  him  in  the 


350  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AME1UCA. 

rear,  gave  an  order  to  fall  back,  that  his  troops  might  not 
be  surrounded.  This  command  was  mistaken  for  an  order 
to  retreat,  and  the  result  was  a  complete  rout  and  a  disor 
derly  flight.  The  Indians,  now  completely  in  their  ele 
ment,  fell  upon  the  helpless  stragglers  with  tomahawk  and 
knife.  About  fifty  of  the  Americans  are  said  to  have 
escaped  by  swimming  the  river,  or  by  clambering  the 
mountains,  and  concealing  themselves  in  the  forest  :  the 
rest  all  perished  upon  the  field. 

Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  sought  safety  from 
the  victorious  army  in  flight.  Those  who  remained  betook 
themselves  to  Fort  Wyoming.  On  the  next  day,  July  4th, 
the  British  colonel  approached  the  fort,  and  demanded  an 
unconditional  surrender.  A  capitulation  was  finally  agreed 
upon,  by  the  terms  of  which  the  occupiers  of  lands  in  the 
valley  were  to  be  protected  in  the  peaceable  enjoyment  of 
their  property.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  and  the  remnant 
of  his  regulars  had  made  their  escape,  and  it  was  agreed, 
by  the  officer  remaining  in  command,  that  the  fort  should 
be  demolished.  The  result,  however,  was  the  almost  en 
tire  destruction  of  the  settlement.  The  rapacity  of  the 
undisciplined  Indian  forces,  tempted  by  the  opportunity 
for  plunder,  could  not  be  restrained  ;  and  the  long-cherished 
rancor  of  partisan  enmity  between  fellow-countrymen  had 
full  opportunity  to  satiate  itself. 

The  rich  and  highly-cultivated  farms  were  laid  waste, 
and  their  unfortunate  proprietors,  flying  from  their  burning 
homes,  were  reduced  to  the  greatest  extremities.  Many 
are  said  to  have  perished  in  the  wilderness,  whither  they 
had  fled  for  safety.  From  the  tales  of  the  wretched  out 
casts  who  were  dispersed  over  the  country,  as  published 
at  the  time,  many  incidents  have  been  copied  into  modern 
histories,  which  we  know  to  be  false  or  grossly  exagger 
ated.  War  is  every  way  an  enormous  evil,  and  when 
carried  on  by  an  ignorant  and  barbarous  people,  to  whom 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  351 

the  refinements  of  so-called  civilized  warfare  are  unknown, 
must  necessarily  involve  scenes  of  terror  and  desolation ; 
but  at  the  time  of  which  we  are  now  speaking,  the  greatest 
atrocities  appear  to  have  been  committed  by  whites.  We 
will  give  a  single  incident  as  illustrative  of  the  spirit  of 
the  times.  Several  of  the  loyalists  had  pursued  some  fu 
gitives  of  the  provincial  militia  to  an  island  in  the  river. 
One  of  these  being  ferreted  out  from  his  place  of  conceal 
ment,  recognized  his  own  brother  among  the  enemy,  and, 
falling  upon  his  knees,  begged  humbly  for  his  life.  The 
greeting  and  response  of  the  unnatural  brother  are  thus  re 
corded  :  "  So  it  is  you,  is  it  ?  "  —  "  All  this  is  mighty  fine, 
but  you  are  a  damned  rebel."  —  Saying  which,  he  delib 
erately  levelled  his  rifle,  and  shot  him  dead  upon  the  spot. 

At  the  north,  Brant  and  his  Indians  continued  to  be  a 
source  of  terror  and  annoyance.  Besides  many  minor 
depredations,  they  burned  and  plundered  the  rich  and 
thriving  settlement  of  the  German  Flatts,  upon  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Mohawk.  The  inhabitants  had  sufficient 
notice  of  the  attack  to  be  able  to  secure  themselves  in  the 
neighboring  forts,  but  they  could  do  nothing  to  preserve 
their  homes,  or  to  save  the  fruits  of  a  summer's  toil  from 
plunder  or  destruction.  This  injury  was  retaliated  by  the 
invasion  of  the  noted  establishments  of  the  Indian  chief 
at  Oghkwaga  and  Unadilla.  A  party  of  friendly  Oneidas 
lent  themselves  to  this  service,  and  succeeded  in  bringing 
off  some  booty  and  prisoners.  A  more  important  inroad 
was  made  by  Colonel  "William  Butter,  with  a  Pennsylvania 
regiment.  He  entered  the  towns  of  Unadilla  and  Oghk 
waga,  and,  finding  them  deserted  by  the  Indians,  burned 
and  destroyed  the  buildings,  together  with  large  stores  of 
provision  intended  for  winter  use. 

The  Indians  were  greatly  exasperated  at  this  heavy  loss, 
and  it  was  not  difficult  for  the  English  to  excite  them  to 
prompt  exertions  for  revenge.  The  Senecas  were  discov- 


352  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

ered  to  be  in  arms,  and  assuming  a  hostile  attitude  very 
shortly  after  these  events  ;  and  one  of  their  chiefs,  "  The 
Great  Tree,"  who  had  been  spending  the  summer  with  the 
Americans,  and  had  associated  during  that  time  upon 
friendly  terms  with  General  Washington,  had  now  re 
turned  to  his  people  with  altered  demeanor  and  purposes. 
Reports  had  been  circulated  among  the  Indians  of  this  and 
other  tribes  that  the  Americans  were  planning  an  invasion 
of  their  country. 

Early  in  November,  (1778,)  the  younger  Butler,  Walter, 
led  a  force  of  seven  hundred  men  from  Niagara  to  attack 
the  settlement  at  Cherry- Valley.  The  majority  of  the 
party  consisted  of  Indians  under  the  command  of  Thayen- 
danegea.  The  place  of  their  destination,  a  beautiful  and 
prosperous  village,  not  far  from  Otsego  lake,  was  defended 
by  a  fortification  garrisoned  by  troops  under  Colonel  Ich- 
abod  Alden.  The  commander  received  intimation,  from  an 
Oneida  messenger,  of  the  dangerous  position  of  the  place, 
but,  being  incredulous,  or  supposing  that  there  was  abun 
dance  of  time  for  preparation,  he  was  in  no  condition  for 
resistance  when  the  blow  fell.  The  inhabitants,  instead  of 
seeking  the  protection  of  the  fort,  were  scattered  among 
their  several  habitations. 

The  Indian  savages  made  the  first  onslaught,  and  throw 
ing  aside  all  restraint,  massacred  men,  women  and  children 
indiscriminately.  Many  of  the  tories  belonging  to  the 
party  are  said  to  have  shown  a  spirit  of  ferocity  equal  to 
that  of  the  worst  of  barbarians.  The  officer  in  command, 
Walter  N.  Butler,  repeatedly  asserted,  in  after  communi 
cations,  that  he  used  his  best  endeavors  to  stay  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  helpless  children  and  females,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  Brant's  inclinations  turned  in  the  same 
direction.  Specific  instances  are  reported  in  which  the 
Mohawk  chief  interfered,  and  successfully,  to  arrest  the 
murderous  tomahawk.  According  to  their  account,  the 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  353 

Indians  were  exasperated  at  their  losses  at  Oghkwaga  and 
Unadilla,  and,  becoming  heated  with  the  excitement  of  the 
attack,  were  in  complete  disorder,  and  in  no  degree  ame 
nable  to  discipline.  Wherever  the  blame  lay,  the  result 
was  terrible  :  about  fifty  soldiers  and  inhabitants  fell  by 
the  tomahawk,  among  the  latter  of  whom  the  larger  portion 
consisted  of  women  and  children.  The  whole  village  was 
burned  to  the  ground,  and  the  rich  stores  of  provisions 
were  destroyed.  Thirty  or  forty  prisoners  were  taken, 
but  of  these,  the  women  and  children,  with  a  few  excep 
tions,  were  shortly  after  set  at  liberty,  as  unable  to  endure 
the  march. 

Mrs.  Campbell,  one  of  those  who  was  retained  as  a 
hostage,  because  of  the  prominent  part  taken  by  her  hus 
band  in  the  American  cause,  has  given  very  interesting 
descriptions  of  Indian  ceremonies  and  manner  of  life. 

The  Onondagas,  throughout  these  campaigns,  while,  as 
a  tribe,  they  did  not  openly  profess  themselves  inimical  to 
the  Americans,  were  individually  concerned  in  no  small 
number  of  the  forays  and  scalping  expeditions  whereby 
the  border  country  was  harassed.  In  April,  of  1779,  it 
was  determined  to  destroy  their  settlements,  and  Colonel 
Van  Schaick,  with  a  sufficient  force,  was  despatched  for 
the  purpose.  He  was  ordered  utterly  to  lay  waste  the 
whole  of  their  towns  ;  to  destroy  all  their  cattle  and  prop 
erty  ;  and  to  take  as  many  prisoners  as  possible.  He 
did  not  succeed  in  surprising  the  Indians,  as  he  had  pur 
posed  ;  their  scouts  carried  intelligence  of  his  advance  in 
season  for  most  of  them  to  escape  to  the  woods  \  but  their 
improvements  and  dwellings  were  left  undefended,  at  the 
mercy  of  the  assailants.  The  colonel  obeyed  his  orders  to 
the  letter,  and  left  nothing  but  blackened  ruins  behind 
him  in  his  progress  through  the  Indian  villages.  The 
dwellings,  the  horses,  cattle,  and  stored  provisions  of  the 
unfortunate  tribe  were  all  destroyed,  and  the  Americans 


354  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

returned  to  their  quarters,  without  the  loss  of  a  man,  taking 
with  them  thirty-three  prisoners.  About  twelve  of  the 
Onondagas  were  killed  during  the  expedition. 

The  friendly  Oneidas  were  closely  connected  with  this 
tribe,  and  they  felt  and  expressed  a  natural  sympathy  with 
their  misfortunes.  The  Onondagas  were  greatly  exasper 
ated,  and  their  war-parties  continued  to  hover  around  the 
border  settlements,  ever  ready  to  take  advantage  of  any 
unwariness  on  the  part  of  the  whites. 

In  the  months  of  July  and  August,  of  this  year,  (1779,) 
Brant  signalized  himself  by  various  successful  expeditions. 
He  plundered  and  destroyed  the  little  town  of  Minisink, 
near  the  Delaware  river,  in  Orange  county,  New  York, 
and  defeated  a  body  of  the  militia  who  undertook  to  follow 
his  trail,  in  hopes  of  recovering  the  booty  he  had  secured, 
and  of  avenging  the  ruin  he  had  caused.  Some  interest 
ing  incidents  are  recorded  as  connected  with  this  battle. 
So  skilfully  did  the  Mohawk  chief  anticipate  and  oppose 
the  movements  of  his  pursuers,  that  he  secured  an  advan 
tage  in  position  which  gave  him  a  signal  victory.  A  large 
proportion  of  the  whites  were  slain.  We  are  told  that, 
after  the  battle,  Brant  saw  a  wounded  officer  lying  upon 
the  field,  in  a  hopeless  condition,  but  retaining  sufficient 
strength  to  converse.  Unwilling  to  leave  the  unfortunate 
man  to  be  torn  in  pieces  by  wolves,  who  would  be  sure  to 
collect  as  night  came  on,  he  determined,  from  motives  of 
humanity,  to  despatch  him.  He  therefore  commenced  a 
conversation  with  him,  and,  watching  his  opportunity, 
put  an  end  to  his  sufferings  unawares,  by  a  blow  of  the 
tomahawk. 

On  this,  as  on  most  other  occasions  in  which  the  Mo 
hawk  chief  was  engaged  in  active  hostilities,  the  most 
contradictory  reports  have  been  recorded  concerning  his 
conduct  and  demeanor.  The  leader  is  generally  compelled 
to  bear  the  blame  of  all  the  excesses  committed  by  his 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  355 

followers,  and  it  is  no  easy  task,  at  this  distance  of  time, 
to  decide  upon  the  truth  of  many  tales  reported  under  cir 
cumstances  of  confusion  and  excitement. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

GENERAL   SULLIVAN'S    CAMPAIGN    AGAINST    THE    IROQUOIS.  —  SUBSE 
QUENT  WARLIKE  OPERATIONS  OP  THE  NATION. 

WHILE  the  events  which  we  have  just  described  were 
transpiring,  preparations  were  going  on  for  a  more  formi 
dable  invasion  of  the  Indian  territory  than  had  before  been 
attempted  by  the  Americans.  The  annoyance  of  an  un 
certain  border  warfare  had  become  so  intolerable  that  it 
was  deemed  necessary  to  put  a  stop  to  it  by  the  entire 
destruction  of  the  Iroquois  towns  and  settlements.  In 
pursuance  of  a  resolution  of  Congress,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  General  Washington,  made  arrangements,  in  the 
spring  of  1779,  to  send  a  large  force  into  the  heart  of  the 
enemies'  country,  with  directions  to  burn  and  destroy  all 
their  towns  ;  to  lay  waste  their  fields  and  orchards ;  to  take 
as  many  prisoners  as  practicable  ;  and,  in  a  word,  to  do 
the  enemy  all  the  injury  possible.  The  command  of  the 
expedition  was  bestowed  upon  General  Sullivan,  who  was 
directed  to  ascend  the  Susquehanna,  with  troops  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  to  form  a  junction  with  the  northern 
forces  at  Tioga,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chemung.  The 
detachment  from  the  north,  under  General  Clinton,  con 
sisting  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  marched  from  Canajoharie, 
on  the  Mohawk,  for  Otscgo  Lake,  (from  which  flows  the 
Susquehanna)  about  the  middle  of  June.  They  carried 
with  them,  over-land,  two  hundred  bateaux,  in  which  to 
descend  the  river  to  Tioga. 

21 


356  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

It  was  intended  that  Clinton  should  take  with  him  a 
body  of  Oneida  warriors,  but  this  purpose  was  frustrated 
by  the  efforts  of  General  Haldimand,  on  behalf  of  the  king 
of  Great  Britain.  This  officer  sent  a  letter,  written  in  their 
own  tongue,  to  the  Oneidas,  upbraiding  them  with  the 
breach  of  ancient  treaties,  and  threatening,  if  they  presumed 
to  engage  in  open  warfare  against  the  royalists,  to  let  loose 
upon  them  such  a  horde  of  his  Indian  allies  as  should  utterly 
destroy  them.  The  effect  of  this  epistle  was  to  keep  the 
Oneida  warriors,  with  very  few  exceptions,  at  home,  that 
they  might  be  in  readiness  to  guard  their  families  and  home 
steads  from  the  threatened  invasion. 

Owing  to  delays  at  the  south,  Clinton  did  not  receive 
orders  to  remove  from  Otsego  until  August.  He  had,  in  the 
mean  time,  dammed  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  so  that  a  great 
body  of  water  had  accumulated.  When  his  troops  were 
embarked,  the  obstruction  was  removed,  and,  aided  by  the 
unusual  flow,  the  flotilla  swept  rapidly  and  smoothly  down 
the  stream.  On  the  £2d  of  August  the  meeting  at  Tioga 
was  effected.  Five  thousand  men,  well  armed  and  provis 
ioned,  were  now  concentrated,  and  ready  to  pour  upon  the 
devoted  towns  of  the  hostile  Iroquois. 

The  attempt  to  keep  the  expedition  a  secret  from  the 
enemy  would  have  been  utterly  useless,  from  the  length 
of  time  required  for  the  preparatory  movements.  The 
campaign  was  anticipated,  but  no  adequate  force  was  pro 
vided  to  resist  the  American  army.  The  only  battle  which 
took  place  was  at  Newtown  on  the  bank  of  the  Chemung, 
near  the  present  town  of  Elmira.  Here  a  force,  variously 
estimated  at  from  eight  to  fifteen  hundred,  and  consisting 
of  Indians  under  Thayendanegea,  and  whites  commanded 
by  the  two  Butlers,  and  by  Sir  John  and  Guy  Johnson, 
was  advantageously  intrenched. 

A  brave  and  obstinate  resistance  was  made  to  the  ad 
vance  of  the  Americans,  but  superior  numbers  prevailed, 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX  NATIONS.  357 

and  the  enemy  was  driven  across  the  river,  after  suffering 
considerable  loss.  This  was  the  only  attempt  of  any  im 
portance  that  was  made  to  defend  the  country  from  ravage 
and  destruction.  Pursuing  his  course  westward,  General 
Sullivan  obeyed  his  orders  to  the  letter.  Every  where 
the  well-built  towns  and  nourishing  corn-fields  of  the  con 
federate  nations  were  reduced  to  utter  ruin.  These  Indian 
tribes  had  made  no  little  advance  in  the  arts  of  civilization. 
The  Mohawks  had  mostly  fled  to  Canada  in  the  early  times 
of  the  revolution,  but  others  of  the  Iroquois,  particularly 
the  Cayugas  and  Senecas,  had  continued  to  cultivate  their 
fields  and  maintain  possession  of  the  homes  of  their  fore 
fathers.  Immense  orchards  of  apple  and  other  fruit-trees 
were  growing  luxuriantly  around  their  habitations,  but  all 
fell  beneath  the  axe  of  the  destroyers.  The  movement  of 
so  large  a  body  of  troops  was  necessarily  slow,  and  as  no 
precautions  were  taken  to  conceal  their  operations,  the  In 
dians  were  every  where  enabled  to  escape  to  the  woods. 
It  must  have  been  with  feelings  of  the  bitterest  rage  and 
despair  that  they  saw  the  labor  of  so  many  years  rendered 
useless,  and  thought  of  the  coming  winter,  which  must  over 
take  them,  a  wandering  and  destitute  people,  who  must 
perish,  or  rely  for  aid  upon  their  Canadian  allies. 

The  whole  month  of  September  was  spent  in  the  work 
of  destruction.  The  course  of  the  march,  after  the  battle 
of  Newtown,  was  first  to  Catharine's  Town,  near  the  head 
of  Seneca  lake  ;  thence  to  Kanadaseagea,  the  principal  town 
of  the  Senecas  ;  to  Canandagua ;  and  to  Genesee,  which 
was  the  farthest  point  reached  at  the  westward.  From 
Sullivan's  account :  "  The  town  of  Genesee  contained  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  houses,  mostly  large  and  very 
elegant.  It  was  beautifully  situated,  almost  encircled  with 
a  clear  flat  extending  a  number  of  miles ;  over  which,  ex 
tensive  fields  of  corn  were  waving,  together  with  every  kind 
of  vegetable  that  could  be  conceived." 


358  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

"  The  entire  army,"  says  Stone,  "  was  immediately  en 
gaged  in  destroying  it,  and  the  axe  and  the  torch  soon 
transformed  the  whole  of  that  beautiful  region  from  the 
character  of  a  garden  to  a  scene  of  drear  and  sickening 
desolation.  Forty  Indian  towns  were  destroyed.  Corn, 
gathered  and  ungathered,  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  thousand  bushels,  shared  the  same  fate  ;  their 
fruit  trees  were  cut  down ;  and  the  Indians  were  hunted 
like  wild  beasts,  till  neither  house,  nor  fruit  tree,  nor  field 
of  corn,  nor  inhabitant,  remained  in  the  whole  country." 

In  a  suffering  and  destitute  condition,  the  scattered  tribes 
of  the  Iroquois  were  driven  to  seek  protection  and  sup 
port  during  the  hard  winter  that  succeeded  their  overthrow 
from  the  English  at  their  posts  in  the  vicinity  of  Niagara. 
Nothing  could  now  be  expected  at  their  hands,  by  the 
Americans,  but  acts  of  vindictive  retaliation.  Brant  led 
his  warriors,  in  pursuance  of  Haldimand's  ominous  pr,edic- 
tion,  against  the  settlements  of  the  Oneidas,  and  reduced 
them  to  a  condition  as  desolate  as  that  of  the  habitations 
of  his  allies.  The  whole  tribe  was  compelled  to  fly  to  the 
eastward,  and  seek  shelter  and  support  from  the  provincials. 

Thayendanegea  was  ever  ready  and  watchful  for  oppor 
tunity  to  harass  and  weaken  the  American  posts,  or  to 
plunder  their  unprotected  villages.  Passing  over  his 
minor  exploits  and  adventures,  of  which  many  strikingly 
characteristic  anecdotes  are  preserved,  we  come  to  his 
irruption  into  the  Mohawk  valley,  in  August  of  1780.  He 
managed,  at  this  time,  to  circulate  a  report  among  the 
settlers  in  the  valley,  that  he  was  meditating  an  attack  upon 
Forts  Plain  and  Schuyler,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  pos 
session  of  the  stores  collected  at  those  posts.  The  militia 
of  the  valley  hastened  to  defend  the  threatened  points, 
leaving  their  villages  a  prey  to  the  cunning  Mohawk.  He 
carefully  avoided  the  reinforcements  on  their  way  to  the 
forts,  and  fell  upon  Canajoharie. 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OB  SIX  NATIONS.  359 

His  course  was  marked  by  the  entire  destruction  of 
houses,  provisions,  and  crops  ;  of  every  thing  indeed  that 
could  not  be  profitably  carried  away.  No  barbarities  were 
permitted  upon  the  persons  of  the  defenceless  women  and 
children,  but  a  large  number  of  them  were  borne  away 
into  captivity.  Brant  effected  his  retreat  unmolested; 
his  men  laden  with  plunder,  and  driving  before  them  the 
valuable  herds  of  the  white  settlers.  Accounts,  published 
shortly  after  the  transaction,  represent  that  the  whole  num 
ber  of  houses  and  barns  burnt  in  this  invasion,  at  Cana- 
joharie,  Schoharie,  and  Norman's  Kill,  was  one  hundred 
and  forty ;  and  that  twenty-four  persons  were  killed,  and 
seventy-three  made  captives.  The  mind  is  little  impressed 
by  such  bare  enumeration,  unless  the  imagination  be 
excited  to  fill  up  the  outline.  No  language  could  express 
the  amount  of  misery  and  terrible  anxiety  which  such  an 
inroad  must  have  caused.  To  the  distracting  uncertainty 
respecting  the  fate  of  their  wives  and  children,  prisoners 
in  the  hands  of  a  barbarous  and  exasperated  enemy,  was 
added  the  mortification  of  a  consciousness,  on  the  part  of 
the  provincial  militia,  that  they  had  been  duped.  They 
had  left  their  defenceless  homes  to  be  ravaged  by  the 
enemy,  while  they  were  busying  themselves  in  the  defence 
of  a  fortified  post,  against  which  no  attack  had  been 
meditated. 

The  invasion  of  the  Mohawk  valley  by  Sir  John  John 
son,  in  October  of  this  year  (1780),  was  productive  of 
results  still  more  extensively  disastrous.  The  Indians  con 
nected  with  the  expedition  were  led  by  Brant,  and  by  the 
great  Seneca  warrior,  Corn-Planter.  This  chief  was  a  half- 
breed,  being  a  son  of  a  white  trader,  named  O'Bail,  and  a 
Seneca  squaw.  During  this  campaign,  he  took  old  O'Bail 
prisoner.  Making  himself  known  to  his  father,  Corn- 
Planter  enlarged  upon  his  own  position  and  consequence, 
offering  the  old  man  his  choice,  whether  he  would  live  in 


360  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

ease  and  plenty  among  his  son's  followers,  or  return  to  the 
settlements  of  the  whites.  O'Bail  preferred  the  latter  course, 
and  was  escorted  accordingly  to  a  place  of  safety.  We 
shall  speak  further  of  this  noted  warrior,  in  describing  his 
successful  rival,  the  great  orator  Red-Jacket. 

The  usual  horrors  attendant  upon  Indian  warfare  marked 
this  campaign  of  Johnson's  :  but  we  are  not  without  evi 
dence  that  the  principal  leader  of  the  savages  was  inclined 
to  no  cruelty  further  than  that  necessarily  incident  to  the 
Indian  mode  of  conducting  hostilities.  On  one  occasion, 
he  sent  one  of  his  runners  to  return  a  young  infant  that  had 
been  carried  off  with  other  captives  and  plunder.  The  mes 
senger  delivered  a  letter  from  Brant,  directed  "  to  the  com 
manding  officer  of  the  rebel  army,"  in  which  the  Mohawk 
chief  avers  that  "  whatever  others  might  do,"  he  made  no 
war  upon  women  and  children.  He  mentioned  the  two 
Butlers,  and  other  tory  partisans,  as  being  "  more  savage 
than  the  savages  themselves." 

The  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations,  engaged  in  the  royal 
cause,  made  Niagara  their  winter  head-quarters.  Thence 
their  scouts  and  war-parties  continued  to  molest  the  bor 
der  country  through  the  ensuing  spring  and  summer,  but 
no  very  important  engagement  took  place  until  October 
(1781).  On  the  24th  of  that  month,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  country  south  of  the  Mohawk,  near  the  mouth  of  Scho- 
harie  creek,  were  astonished  by  the  unexpected  inroad  of 
an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy.  The  army,  under 
the  command  of  Major  Ross,  amounted  to  nearly  a  thou 
sand  men,  including  Indians.  They  had  made  their  way 
from  Buck's  Island,  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  Oswego,  and 
thence,  by  Oneida  lake,  to  the  Mohawk  valley,  so  sud 
denly  and  secretly,  that  no  news  of  their  approach  had  pre 
ceded  them. 

The  invaders  commenced  the  usual  course  of  ravage 
and  destruction,  but  their  success  was  but  of  short  dura- 


THE  IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX  NATIONS.  361 

tion.  They  were  disastrously  routed  and  put  to  flight  by 
the  provincials,  under  Colonel  Willet,  aided  by  a  body  of 
Oneida  warriors.  The  notorious  Walter  N.  Butler  perished 
during  the  last  engagement  with  the  Americans.  He  was 
shot  and  scalped  by  an  Oneida  Indian. 

This  Avas  the  last  important  procedure  connected  with 
the  war  of  the  revolution,  in  which  the  Iroquois  bore  a 
part.  They  proved,  throughout  the  contest,  most  danger 
ous  and  efficient  allies,  rendering  an  immense  extent  of  the 
richest  and  most  beautiful  portion  of  the  state  of  New 
York  unsafe  for  the  Americans. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

CONDITION  OF  THE  SIX  NATIONS  SUBSEQUENT  TO  THE  REVOLU 
TION.  —  CONCLUSION  OF  BRANT'S  HISTORY.  —  RED-JACKET  AND 
CORN-PLANTER. 

AFTER  the  conclusion  of  peace  and  the  recognition  of 
the  independence  of  the  United  States,  arrangements  were 
made  between  the  British  government  and  those  of  the 
Six  Nations  who  still  wished  to  reside  under  the  jurisdic 
tion  of  the  parent  country,  to  secure  them  an  asylum  in 
Canada.  Thayendanegea  was  the  principal  negotiator  on 
the  part  of  the  Indians,  and,  at  his  instance,  the  country 
bordering  on  Grand  River,  which  empties  into  Lake  Erie, 
about  thirty  miles  westward  from  Buffalo,  was  granted  by 
the  crown  to  "  the  Mohawks,  and  others  of  the  Six  Na 
tions,  who  had  either  lost  their  possessions  in  the  war,  or 
wished  to  retire  from  them  to  the  British."  They  were 
to  be  secured  in  the  possession  of  a  tract  extending  six 
miles  in  breadth,  on  each  side  of  the  river,  from  its  mouth 
to  its  source. 

The  course  to  be  taken  by  the  United  States  respecting 


362  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  Iroquois  resident  within  their  limits,  was  a  subject 
which  led  to  much  discussion  and  dissension.  A  confer 
ence  was  finally  held  at  Fort  Stanwix,  between  deputies 
from  all  the  six  tribes  and  United  States  commissioners ; 
and,  after  much  violent  debate,  in  which  the  celebrated 
Red- Jacket  took  a  prominent  part,  it  was  settled  that  the 
Indians  should  cede  to  the  government  all  jurisdiction  over 
lands  in  eastern  New  York,  and  confine  themselves  to  a  dis 
trict  specified  at  the  west.  All  prisoners  were  to  be  deliv 
ered  up,  and  several  hostages  were  given  to  secure  perform 
ance  of  their  stipulations  on  the  part  of  the  Six  Nations. 

Many  of  the  Indians  were  greatly  dissatisfied  with  this 
treaty.  Red- Jacket  (in  opposition  to  Corn-Planter)  stren 
uously  advocated  a  continuance  of  hostilities.  His  speech 
at  Fort  Stanwix  upon  the  subject  gained  him  a  wide  repu 
tation  for  oratory.  Brant,  who  was  then  about  starting  for 
England  to  push  the  claims  of  his  tribe  for  remuneration 
for  their  losses  in  the  war,  postponed  his  embarkation,  and 
wrote  a  letter  of  remonstrance  to  Colonel  Monroe,  com 
plaining  especially  of  the  retention  of  one  of  his  relatives, 
a  Captain  Aaron  Hill,  as  one  of  the  hostages. 

The  Mohawk  chief  did  not  lay  aside  his  purpose  of  vis 
iting  the  royal  court  in  his  people's  behalf.  He  arrived  in 
England  in  the  month  of  December,  1785,  and  never  was 
ambassador  received  with  more  flattering  attention.  His 
intelligence  and  dignity,  together  with  the  remembrance  of 
his  long  and  faithful  services,  commended  him  to  all.  He 
was  feted  by  the  nobility  and  gentry  ;  his  acquaintance 
was  sought  by  the  most  learned  and  celebrated  dignitaries 
of  the  age  ;  and  the  native  shrewdness  evinced  in  his 
speeches  and  remarks  drew  forth  universal  applause.  His 
attempt  to  awaken  an  interest  at  court,  in  favor  of  the 
claims  of  his  nation,  was  successful ;  and  a  royal  order  was 
obtained  for  the  indemnity  of  those  whose  losses  had  been 
specified,  and  for  an  examination  of  further  demands. 


THE  IROQUOIS,   OE  SIX  NATIONS.  363 

In  the  United  States,  Indian  affairs  continued  unsettled, 
and  ominous  prospects  of  future  disturbance  on  the  western 
frontier  called  for  wise  and  cautious  action.  A  great 
council  was  held  in  December,  1786,  by  many  tribes  of 
Indians,  among  whom  the  Six  Nations  were  the  most 
prominent,  at  Huron  village,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of 
Detroit  river.  The  object  was  to  concert  some  general 
plan  of  resistance  to  encroachments  upon  their  lands  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States.  It  is  said  that  an 
unfriendly  feeling  towards  the  new  government  was  pro 
moted  by  English  officials  in  their  communications  with 
the  Indians,  in  reference  to  the  retention,  by  the  crown,  of 
Oswego,  Detroit,  Niagara,  and  other  posts. 

For  many  years,  subsequent  to  the  peace  with  England, 
bloody  skirmishes,  and  scenes  of  plunder  and  rapine,  kept 
the  western  border  in  continual  distress ;  and  when  the 
United  States  undertook  the  reduction  of  the  hostile  tribes 
in  1790  and  91,  it  was  found  that  the  feeling  of  disaffec 
tion  on  the  part  of  the  red  men  was  indeed  extensive. 
Upon  the  occasion  of  St.  Glair's  disastrous  defeat  by  the 
Miamis  and  their  associates,  under  the  renowned  chief, 
Little  Turtle,  it  is  asserted  by  the  biographer  of  Brant 
that  the  old  Mohawk  warrior  and  the  warlike  tribe  to 
which  he  belonged  bore  a  conspicuous  part. 

No  man,  born  of  a  savage  stock,  has  ever  associated 
with  the  enlightened  and  intelligent  upon  terms  of  greater 
equality  than  did  Thayendanegea.  "While  he  retained  all 
his  partiality  for  his  own  people,  and  never  lost  sight  of 
their  interests,  he  fully  appreciated  the  advantages  of  edu 
cation  and  civilization.  A  long  life,  spent  for  the  most 
part  amid  scenes  of  strife  and  danger,  in  which  the  whole 
powers  of  his  active  mind  and  body  seemed  called  forth 
by  the  stirring  scenes  in  which  he  mingled,  did  not  unfit 
him  for  the  pursuits  of  literature  and  the  arts  of  peace. 
He  was  indefatigable  in  his  endeavors  to  elevate  the  social 


364  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

position  of  his  tribe,  and  devoted  no  little  time  and  atten 
tion  to  the  translation  of  scriptural  and  other  works  into 
the  Mohawk  tongue,  for  their  benefit.  His  earlier  speci 
mens  of  composition,  which  have  been  preserved,  are,  as 
might  be  expected,  rudely  and  imperfectly  expressed,  but 
they  evince  great  shrewdness  and  intelligence.  The  pro 
ductions  of  his  latter  years  are  strikingly  forcible  and 
elegant. 

We  cannot  go  into  a  detail  of  the  tedious  and  some 
what  obscure  negotiations  with  the  American  government 
in  which  the  chief  of  the  Six  Nations  took  part  in  behalf 
of  his  people,  nor  chronicle  the  events  of  private  interest 
and  domestic  troubles  which  disturbed  his  declining  years. 
The  old  warrior  died  in  November,  1807,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  the  Mohawks,  under  John  Brant, 
son  and  successor  of  Thayendanegea,  took  the  part  of  their 
old  friends  and  allies,  the  English,  and  did  good  service 
in  various  engagements  upon  the  northern  frontier. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  few  names 
stand  more  prominent  in  Indian  annals  than  that  of  the 
Seneca  chief  and  orator,  Saguoaha,  or  Red-Jacket.  We 
hear  of  him,  indeed,  in  much  earlier  times,  as  opposed  to 
Brant,  at  the  time  of  Sullivan's  campaign.  The  Mohawk 
chief  always  regarded  him  with  contempt  and  dislike, 
speaking  of  him  as  an  arrant  coward,  and  a  man  of  words 
merely.  Saguoaha  held  the  whites  generally  in  suspicion, 
and  his  great  effort  appears  ever  to  have  been  for  the  pres 
ervation  of  his  nation's  independence  and  individuality. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  part  which  he  took  at 
the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  and  his  opposition  to  the 
cession  by  his  nation  of  their  eastern  lands.  Corn-Planter 
or  O'Bail,  who  favored  the  proposal,  was  high  in  authority 
at  that  time  among  the  Senecas  ;  but  Red-Jacket,  more  by 
his  eloquence  and  sagacity  in  council  than  by  any  warlike 


THE   IROQUOIS,    OE   SIX  NATIONS.  365 

achievements,  was  gradually  supplanting  him.  Corn- 
Planter  was  a  veteran  warrior,  and  had  fought  in  former 
times  against  the  English,  in  behalf  of  the  French.  He 
is  said  to  have  been  attached  to  the  French  and  Indian 
army,  upon  the  occasion  of  Braddock's  defeat,  in  1755. 
He  could  ill  brook  the  rivalry  of  a  young  man,  noted  for 
no  warlike  achievements,  and  only  prominent  among  his 
people  by  virtue  of  his  natural  gift  of  eloquence.  To 
check,  therefore,  this  advance  of  the  young  orator,  O'Bail 
endeavored  to  work  upon  the  credulity  of  his  people  by 
announcing  his  brother  as  a  prophet,  and,  for  a  time,  suc 
ceeded  in  exciting  their  reverence  and  superstitious  fears. 
Eed-Jacket,  however,  in  open  council,  eloquently  pro 
claimed  him  an  impostor,  and  harangued  the  tribe  with 
such  power  and  effect  as  to  create  a  complete  diversion  in 
his  own  favor.  He  was  chosen  chief  of  his  tribe,  and  ex 
ercised,  from  that  time  forth,  a  control  over  his  numerous 
followers  seldom  surpassed  by  any  Indian  ruler.  He  was 
a  steady  opposer  of  Christianity,  holding  the  missionaries 
who  endeavored  to  effect  the  conversion  of  the  Six  Na 
tions,  in  great  suspicion.  As  a  specimen  of  his  style  of 
oratory,  we  will  give  some  extracts  of  Saguoaha's  speeches 
upon  these  religious  questions,  as  they  are  to  be  found  in 
Thatcher's  Indian  Biography.  It  must  be  observed  that, 
with  characteristic  obstinacy,  the  speaker  would  never  use 
the  English  language,  but  communicated  his  remarks  by 
means  of  an  interpreter,  so  that  due  allowance  must  be 
made  for  the  change  in  style  and  loss  of  force  almost  al 
ways  attendant  upon  a  translation. 

At  a  Seneca  council  in  May,  1811,  held  at  Buffalo 
Creek,  he  answered  a  missionary  from  New  York,  sub 
stantially  as  follows  :  "  Brother  !  —  we  listened  to  the  talk 
you  delivered  us  from  the  Council  of  Black-Coats  in  New 
York.  We  have  fully  considered  your  talk,  and  the  offers 
you  have  made  us.  We  now  return  our  answer,  which 


366 


INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 


we  wish  you  also  to  understand.  In  making  up  our  minds, 
we  have  looked  back  to  remember  what  has  been  done  in 
our  days,  and  what  our  fathers  have  told  us  was  done  in 
old  times. 

' '  Brother  !  —  Great  numbers  of  Black-Coats  have  been 
among  the  Indians.  With  sweet  voices  and  smiling  faces, 
they  offered  to  teach  them  the  religion  of  the  white  people. 
Our  brethren  in  the  East  listened  to  them.  They  turned 
from  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  and  took  up  the  religion 
of  the  white  people.  What  good  has  it  done  ?  Are  they 
more  friendly  one  to  another  than  we  are  ?  No,  brother  ! 
They  are  a  divided  people  ;  —  we  are  united.  They  quarrel 
about  religion  ;  —  we  live  in  love  and  friendship.  Besides, 
they  drink  strong  waters.  And  they  have  learned  how  to 
cheat,  and  how  to  practise  all  the  other  vices  of  the  white 
people,  without  imitating  their  virtues.  Brother  !  —  If  you 
wish  us  well,  keep  away ;  do  not  disturb  us. 

"  Brother !  —  We  do  not  worship  the  Great  Spirit  as  the 
white  people  do,  but  we  believe  that  the  forms  of  worship 
are  indifferent  to  the  Great  Spirit.  It  is  the  homage  of 
sincere  hearts  that  pleases  him,  and  we  worship  him  in  that 
manner." 

After  arguing  the  matter  a  little  more  at  length,  and 
expressing  a  decided  preference  for  the  "  talk "  of  Mr. 
Granger,  an  Indian  agent,  and  for  that  of  the  emissaries 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  the  orator  concluded  : 

"  Brother  !  —  For  these  reasons  we  cannot  receive  your 
offers.  We  have  other  things  to  do,  and  beg  you  to  make 
your  mind  easy,  without  troubling  us,  lest  our  heads  should 
be  too  much  loaded,  and  by  and  by  burst."  Red-Jacket 
remained,  through  life,  consistent  with  the  ground  first 
taken  by  him  upon  religious  and  political  questions.  To 
the  clergy  he  was  ever  courteous  and  civil,  and  appears 
to  have  been  ready  to  hold  argument  with  them  upon 
their  creed.  In  conversation  with  one  of  the  cloth,  he  is 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OB  SIX  NATIONS.  367 

said  to  have  strenuously  denied  any  responsibility  on  the 
part  of  the  red  men  for  the  death  of  Christ.  "  Brother," 
said  he,  ( '  if  you  white  people  murdered  ( the  Saviour,' 
make  it  up  yourselves.  We  had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
If  he  had  come  among  us,  we  should  have  treated  him 
better." 

In  the  war  of  18 IS,  the  Senecas  espoused  the  American 
interests,  and,  Brant's  assertions  to  the  contrary  notwith 
standing,  their  chief,  with  his  subordinates  —  Farmer's 
Brother,  Little  Billy,  Pollard,  Black  Snake,  Young  O'Bail, 
(a  son  of  Corn-Planter,)  and  others  —  gained  honorable 
notice  for  courage  and  activity  from  the  commanding 
officers  of  the  army  to  which  they  were  attached.  It  is 
still  more  pleasing  to  reflect  that  these  Indians  readily 
conformed  to  the  more  human  usages  of  modern  warfare. 
General  Boyd  reported  that,  "  the  bravery  and  humanity 
of  the  Indians  were  equally  conspicuous." 

In  his  old  age,  Red-Jacket  became  very  intemperate, 
and  in  so  many  instances  conducted  himself  in  a  manner 
unbecoming  the  dignity  of  a  chief,  that  his  opponents,  the 
Christian  portion  of  the  tribe,  succeeded  in  passing  a  reso 
lution,  in  council,  for  his  deposition.  This  was  effected  in 
September,  of  the  year  1827,  and  a  formal  written  procla 
mation  of  the  charges  said  to  be  substantiated  against  him, 
was  promulgated.  The  old  chief  immediately  bestirred 
himself  to  obtain  a  revocation  of  this  decree.  He  caused  a 
grand  council  of  the  Six  Nations  to  be  held,  and,  with  all 
his  former  fire  and  energy,  made  answer  to  his  accusers. 
After  enumerating  and  ridiculing  the  charges  against  him, 
(many  of  them  really  trifling,)  he  proceeded  to  speak  of  his 
long-continued  services  and  care  for  his  people  :  "  I  feel 
sorry  for  my  nation,"  said  he ;  <fvwhen  I  am  gone  to  the 
other  worlds,  —  when  the  Great  Spirit  calls  me  away, — 
who  among  my  people  can  take  my  place?  Many  years 
have  I  guided  the  nation." 


368 


INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


The  eloquence  of  the  speaker,  and  a  remembrance  of 
his  faithful  zeal  for  the  welfare  of  his  tribe,  produced  their 
due  effect  :  he  was  fully  restored  to  his  former  position  and 
authority.  During  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  Red-Jacket 
resided  at  the  Seneca  settlement,  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo. 
He  made  several  visits  to  the  Eastern  cities,  where  his  ap 
pearance  always  attracted  much  interest  and  attention. 
A  traveller  who  visited  the  Seneca  country  a  few  years 
before  the  death  of  the  old  chief  (which  took  place  in 
January,  1830,)  speaks  of  his  residence  and  appearance  in 
the  following  terms  :  "  My  path  grew  more  and  more  in 
distinct,  until  its  windings  were  only  intimated  by  the 
smoothness  of  the  turf,  which  often  left  me  in  perplexity, 
till  it  at  last  brought  me  to  the  view  of  the  abode  of  the 
chief.  He  had  penetrated,  like  a  wild  beast,  into  the 
deepest  recesses  of  the  forest,  almost  beyond  the  power  of 
a  white  man  to  trace  him.  A  wild  beast !  but  I  found  him 
in  a  calm,  contemplative  mood,  and  surrounded  by  a  cheer 
ful  family.  Old  and  young,  collected  about  the  door  of 
the  log  hut  where  he  was  seated,  seemed  to  regard  him 
with  affection  ;  and  an  infant,  which  one  of  the  females 
held  in  her  arms,  received  his  caresses  with  smiles.  It 
was  a  striking  scene  —  a  chief !  Yet  some  of  his  inferiors, 
who  cultivate  the  soil  in  other  parts  of  the  Seneca  lands, 
had  abundant  fields  and  well-filled  store-houses,  while  he 
was  poor,  but  bore  his  privations  with  apparent  equanim 
ity.  If  he  had  power,  he  did  not  exert  it ;  if  he  had  pas 
sions,  they  were  quiescent ;  if  he  had  suffered  injuries,  they 
were  buried  in  his  breast.  —  His  looks,  his  motions,  his  at 
titudes,  had  that  cast  of  superiority  which  convinced  me  that, 
whether  justly  or  not,  he  considered  no  man  his.  superior 
in  understanding.  —  He'appeared  to  regard  himself  as  the 
only  one  of  his  nation  who  retained  the  feelings  and  opin 
ions  of  his  ancestors,  and  to  pride  himself  in  preserving 
them."  Halleck's  address  to  "  Red-Jacket,  on  looking  at 


THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  369 

his  portrait,  by  "Wier,"  although,  not  in  all  respects  strictly 
accordant  with  facts,  contains  a  beautiful  summary  of  In 
dian  characteristics.  The  poem  concludes  as  follows : 

"  The  monarch  mind,  the  mystery  of  commanding, 
The  birth-hour  gift,  the  art  Napoleon, 
Of  winning,  fettering,  moulding,  wielding,  banding 
The  hearts  of  millions,  till  they  move  as  one ; 

Thou  hast  it.     At  thy  bidding  men  have  crowded 
The  road  to  death  as  to  a  festival  j 
And  minstrels,  at  their  sepulchres,  have  shrouded 
With  banner-folds  of  glory  the  dark  pall. 

Who  will  believe  ?     Not  I  —  for  in  deceiving 
Lies  the  dear  charm  of  life's  delightful  dream  j 
I  cannot  spare  the  luxury  of  believing 
That  all  things  beautiful  are  what  they  seem. 

Who  will  believe  that,  with  a  smile  whose  blessing 
Would,  like  the  patriarch's,  soothe  a  dying  hour, 
With  voice  as  low,  as  gentle  and  caressing, 
-   As  e'er  won  maiden's  lip  in  moonlit  bower ; 

With  look  like  patient  Job's,  eschewing  evil ; 
With  motions  graceful  as  a  bird's  in  air ; 
Thou  art,  in  sober  truth,  the  veriest  devil 
That  e'er  clinched  fingers  in  a  captive's  hair ! 

That  in  thy  breast  there  springs  a  poison  fountain, 
Deadlier  than  that  where  bathes  the  Upas-tree ; 
And  in  thy  wrath,  a  nursing  cat-o'-mountain 
Is  calm  as  a  babe's  sleep,  compared  with  thee ! 

And  underneath  that  face,  like  Summer  Ocean's, 
Its  lip  as  moveless,  and  its  cheek  as  clear, 
Slumbers  a  whirlwind  of  the  heart's  emotions  — 
Love,  hatred,  pride,  hope,  sorrow,  —  all  save  fear. 

Love,  for  thy  land,  as  if  she  were  thy  daughter, 
Her  pipe  in  peace,  her  tomahawk  in  wars ; 
Hatred  —  of  missionaries  and  cold  water  : 
Pride  —  in  thy  rifle-trophies,  and  thy  scars  j 


370  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Hope  —  that  thy  wrongs  may  be  by  the  Great  Spirit 
Remembered  and  revenged  when  thou  art  gone ; 
Sorrow  —  that  none  are  left  thee  to  inherit 
Thy  name,  thy  fame,  thy  passions,  and  thy  throne !  * 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  SIX  NATIONS. 

THE  information  contained  in  this  chapter  is  drawn  from 
Mr.  Schoolcraft's  abstracts  and  statistics,  presented  in  his 
"  Notes  on  the  Iroquois." 

In  taking  the  census,  ordered  by  the  New  York  legis 
lature  in  1845,  and  procuring  statistics  of  the  agricultural 
operations  of  the  Iroquois,  the  author  informs  us  that  great 
objection  was  made  by  the  Indians  to  what  they  considered 
an  officious  intermeddling  in  their  affairs.  Their  suspicions 
were  excited  by  the  novelty  of  the  requisition,  and  the 
matter  was  discussed  at  great  length  in  their  councils. 
They  could  not  persuade  themselves  that  the  government 
should  take  such  a  step  from  any  of  the  motives  urged  by 
those  to  whom  the  business  was  intrusted.  It  appeared  to 
them  most  probable  that  the  measure  was  but  a  prelim 
inary  step  to  the  laying  a  tax  upon  their  property,  and 
they  consequently  opposed  continual  obstacles  to  a  satisfac 
tory  completion  of  the  duty  assigned.  The  entire  popula 
tion  of  the  Six  Nations,  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  was  computed  at  six  or  eight  thousand.  By 
other  calculations,  made  a  few  years  later,  at  the  period  of 
the  American  Revolution,  it  was  supposed  to  exceed  nine 
thousand. 

Conscious  as  we  are  of  the  many  causes  constantly  oper 
ating  to  reduce  the  numbers  of  the  Indian  population,  it 
is  a  matter  of  no  less  surprise  than  satisfaction  to  learn 


RED     JACKET. 


THE  IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX  NATIONS.  373 

that  there  has  been  no  very  material  decrease  in  the  Iro- 
quois  nation  since  the  extension  of  civilization  over  their 
ancient  country.  It  is  pleasing  to  reflect  that  some  por 
tion  of  the  strange  race  that  formerly  held  undisturbed 
possession  of  the  wilds  of  America,  should  be  preserved  to 
show  what  advance  they  are,  as  a  people,  capable  of  mak 
ing,  when  aided  by  the  light  of  civilization. 

The  tribes  of  the  ancient  confederacy  are  widely  scat 
tered.  The  larger  portion  of  the  Oneidas  are  settled  upon 
a  reservation  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin : 
smaller  villages  of  the  tribe  are  situated  farther  southward, 
near  Winnebago  Lake.  The  number  of  these  emigrants 
was  stated  in  1844  to  be  seven  hundred  and  twenty-two. 
The  Senecas  who  have  moved  westward,  were  put  down 
at  about  two  hundred  and  thirty.  Fifty-one  of  the  last- 
mentioned  tribe,  were  resident  at  Corn-Planter's  settlement 
in  Pennsylvania. 

The  Mohawks,  Cayugas,  and  others  on  Grand  River,  in 
Canada,  probably  number  over  two  thousand.  We  now 
come  to  the  more  certain  statistics  of  the  New  York  cen 
sus,  given  as  follows,  by  Mr.  Schoolcraft : 

"Senecas, 2,441 

Onondagas,  .......  398 

Tuscaroras, 281 

Oneidas, 210 

Cayugas, 123 

Mohawks,     .......  20 

St.  Regis  Canton, 260." 

He  estimates  the  whole  nation,  in  Canada  and  the  United 
States,  at  nearly  seven  thousand.  He  supposes,  and  it 
would  seem  very  justly,  that  there  has  been  a  period,  within 
the  last  century,  at  which  their  numbers  were  reduced  much 
below  those  presented  by  recent  returns ;  "  and  that,  for 
some  years  past,  and  since  they  have  been  well  lodged  and 
clothed,  and  subsisted  by  their  own  labor,  and  been  ex- 
22 


374  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

empted  from  the  diseases  and  casualties  incident  to  savage 
life,  and  the  empire  of  the  forest,  their  population  has  re 
covered,  and  is  now  on  the  increase." 

Many  satisfactory  evidences  of  thrift  and  good  manage 
ment,  in  the  shape  of  saw-mills,  school-houses,  -public 
buildings,  and  well-kept  farms,  appear  in  the  Indian  set 
tlements  of  New  York.  Nothing  seems  so  conducive  to 
the  welfare  of  this  species  of  our  population  as  a  depend 
ence  upon  their  own  resources,  where  the  means  of  advan 
tageous  labor  are  supplied  them.  The  evils  of  the  annuity 
system,  and  of  the  custom  of  farming  out  their  lands  to 
the  whites  by  the  Indians,  have  been  fully  and  eloquently 
set  forth.  The  first  of  these  practices  has  the  effect  to 
bring  a  horde  of  unprincipled  sharpers  about  the  place 
where  the  yearly  payment  is  made,  who,  by  the  tempta 
tions  of  useless  finery,  and,  far  worse,  by  the  offer  of  the 
red-man's  greatest  bane,  intoxicating  liquors,  render  the 
assistance  of  the  government  oft-times  rather  a  curse  than 
a  blessing.  The  latter  usage  is  productive  of  evil  by  its 
encouragement  of  idleness,  and  by  strengthening  that  sense 
of  pride  and  self-importance  which  distinguishes  the  race. 
Where  the  change  in  the  face  of  the  country,  and  the  in 
troduction  of  domestic  animals  have  rendered  the  chase  no 
longer  necessary  or  profitable,  the  Indian  still  prefers  rang 
ing  the  woods  with  his  dog  and  gun,  to  the  endurance  of 
what  he  esteems  servile  labor. 

Striking  exceptions  to  the  above  remarks  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  conduct  and  employments  of  many  inhabitants  of 
Indian  villages  in  New  York.  Good  husbandry  is  evident 
in  the  management  of  their  farms,  and  artisans  of  no  mean 
skill  are  frequently  met  with.  Some  of  these  Indians,  who 
have  turned  their  attention  to  the  art  of  working  in  silver, 
are  said  to  produce  very  beautiful  specimens  of  ornamental 
work,  especially  in  the  in-laying  of  gun-stocks,  handles  to 
tomahawks,  &c. 


THE  IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX  NATIONS.  375 

A  portion  of  the  Senecas,  settled  upon  the  Alleghany, 
occupied  themselves  in  rafting  and  boating  upon  the  river, 
and  others  are  engaged  in  the  lake  navigation.  There 
seems,  indeed,  to  be  no  want  of  bodily  or  mental  capacity 
in  the  North  American  Indian,  for  the  successful  pursuit 
of  nearly  every  trade,  profession,  and  occupation,  followed 
by  the  whites. 

One  most  beneficial  reformation  has  taken  place  among 
some  of  the  Iroquois,  in  a  movement  which,  if  universally 
encouraged,  would  do  more  to  regenerate  the  red-men,  than 
all  other  influences  combined.  We  allude  to  the  introduc 
tion  and  formation  of  temperance  societies. 

The  returns  of  agricultural  products  given,  at  the  time 
of  taking  the  census  before-mentioned,  in  1845,  are  ex 
tremely  gratifying,  and  may  well  convince  us  of  the  steady 
and  hopeful  advance  made  by  the  New  York  Indians  in 
self-reliance  and  honest  industry. 

Communications  from  the  missionaries,  engaged  in  the 
instruction  and  religious  guidance  of  the  Indians  dwelling 
on  the  different  reservations,  bear  witness  to  the  docility 
and  aptness  of  their  pupils.  The  Rev.  Asher  Bliss,  in  a 
letter,  published  in  the  appendix  to  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  notes, 
observes  :  "  As  to  the  capacity  of  Indian  children  for  im 
provement,  my  own  impression  is,  that  there  is  no  essen 
tial  difference  between  them  and  white  children."  Of  the 
influence  of  the  Christian  religion  upon  the  worldly  pros 
perity  of  the  people  among  whom  he  was  stationed,  (the 
Senecas  of  the  Cataraugus  reservation,)  Mr.  Bliss  speaks 
enthusiastically.  He  contrasts  "the  framed  houses  and 
barns,  the  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  the  acres  of  im 
proved  land  ;  the  wagons,  buggies  and  sleighs  ;  the  clocks, 
watches,  and  various  productions  of  agriculture,"  with  the 
destitution  and  poverty  of  former  times,  and  exclaims,  nat 
urally  enough,  "  What  an  astonishing  change  !  " 


PONTIAC'S  WAR. 


CHAPTER   I. 

FRENCH  INFLUENCE  OVER  THE  INDIANS. -BRITISH  OCCUPATION  OF 
THE  WESTERN  POSTS.—  FONTIAC  AND  HIS  PLANS  FOR  EXTERMI 
NATING  THE  ENGLISH. 

EARLY  in  the  eighteenth  century  the  French  had  com 
menced  extending  their  influence  among  the  tribes  who 
inhabited  the  country  bordering  on  the  great  western  lakes. 
Always  more  successful  than  the  other  European  settlers 
in  conciliating  the  affections  of  the  savages  among  whom 
they  lived,  they  had  obtained  the  hearty  good-will  of  na 
tions  little  known  to  the  English.  The  cordial  familiarity 
of  the  race,  and  the  terms  of  easy  equality  upon  which 
they  were  content  to  share  the  rude  huts  of  the  Indians,  in 
gratiated  them  more  readily  with  their  hosts,  than  a  course 
of  English  reserve  and  formality  could  have  done.  The 
most  marked  instances  of  the  contrast  between  the  two 
great  parties  of  colonists  may  be  seen  in  the  different 
measure  of  success  met  with  in  their  respective  religious 
operations.  While  the  stern  doctrines  of  New  England 
divines,  as  a  general  rule,  were  neglected  or  contemned 
by  their  rude  hearers,  the  Jesuits  met  with  signal  success 
in  acquiring  a  spiritual  influence  over  the  aborigines. 
Whether  it  was  owing  to  the  more  attractive  form  in 
which  they  promulgated  their  creed  and  wrorship,  or 
whether  it  was  due  to  their  personal  readiness  to  adapt 
themselves  to  the  habits,  and  to  sympathize  with  the  feelings 

(376) 


'    ..**"  .    • 

• 


PONTIAC'S   WAR.  379 

of  their  proselytes,  certain  it  is  that  they  maintained  a 
strong  hold  upon  the  affections,  and  a  powerful  influence 
over  the  conduct  of  their  adopted  brethren. 

Adair,  writing  with  natural  prejudice,  says  that,  ' ( instead 
of  reforming  the  Indians,  the  monks  and  friars  corrupted 
their  morals  :  for  in  the  place  of  inculcating  love,  peace, 
and  good-will  to  their  red  pupils,  as  became  messengers  of 
the  divine  author  of  peace,  they  only  impressed  their  flex 
ible  minds  with  an  implacable  hatred  against  every  British 
subject,  without  any  distinction.  Our  people  will  soon  dis 
cover  the  bad  policy  of  the  late  Quebec  act,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  Great  Britain  will,  in  due  time,  send  those  black 
croaking  clerical  frogs  of  Canada  home  to  their  infallible 
Mufti  of  Rome."  The  Ottawas,  Chippewas,  and  Potta- 
watomies,  who  dwelt  on  the  Great  Lakes,  proved  as  stanch 
adherents  to  the  French  interests  as  were  the  Six  Nations 
to  those  of  the  English,  and  the  bitterest  hostility  pre 
vailed  between  these  two  great  divisions  of  the  aboriginal 
population. 

When  English  troops,  in  accordance  with  the  treaty  of 
1760,  were  put  in  possession  of  the  French  stations  on  the 
lakes,  they  found  the  Indians  little  disposed  to  assent  to 
the  change.  The  great  sachem  who  stood  at  the  head  of 
the  confederate  western  tribes  was  the  celebrated  Ottawa 
chief  Pontiac. 

The  first  detachment,  under  Major  Rogers,  which  entered 
the  western  country  on  the  way  to  Detroit,  the  most  im 
portant  post  on  the  lakes,  was  favorably  received  by  the 
Indian  chief,  but  not  without  a  proud  assertion  of  his  own 
rights  and  authority.  He  sent  a  formal  embassy  to  meet 
the  English,  and  to  announce  his  intention  of  giving  an 
audience  to  their  commander.  Rogers  describes  him  as  a 
chief  of  noble  appearance  and  dignified  address.  At  the 
conference  he  inquired  by  what  right  the  English  entered 
his  country ;  and  upon  the  major's  disavowing  all  hostile 


380  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

intent  towards  the  Indians,  seemed  more  placable,  but 
checked  any  further  advance,  until  his  pleasure  should  be 
made  known,  with  the  pithy  observation  :  "  I  stand  in  the 
path  you  travel  until  to-morrow  morning."  He  finally 
allowed  the  forces  to  proceed,  and  even  furnished  men  to 
protect  them  and  their  stores. 

Pontiac  assisted  and  protected  this  garrison  for  a  period, 
but  probably  even  then  was  pondering  in  his  mind  the 
great  scheme  of  restoring  his  French  allies  and  extermi 
nating  the  intruders.  He  has  been  frequently  compared 
to  Philip,  the  great  "VVampanoag  sachem,  both  for  his 
kingly  spirit  and  for  the  similarity  of  their  plans  to  crush 
the  encroachments  of  the  English.  Pontiac  had  an  im 
mense  force  under  his  control,  and  could  well  afford  to  dis 
tribute  it  in  as  many  different  detachments  as  there  were 
strongholds  of  the  enemy  to  be  overthrown.  It  was  in 
the  year  1763  that  his  arrangements  were  completed,  and 
the  month  of  June  was  fixed  upon  for  a  simultaneous  on 
slaught  upon  every  British  post.  The  eloquent  and  saga 
cious  Ottowa  chief  had  drawn  into  his  conspiracy,  not  only 
the  people  of  his  own  nation,  with  the  Chippewas  and  Pot- 
tawatomies,  but  large  numbers  from  other  western  tribes, 
as  the  Miamies,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  Hurons  and  the 
Shawanees.  He  even  secured  the  alliance  of  a  portion  of 
the  Delawares  and  of  the  Six  Nations. 

In  vain  were  the  officers  of  the  garrisons  at  Michili- 
mackinac  and  other  distant  forts  warned  by  traders,  who 
had  ventured  among  the  Indians,  that  a  general  disaffection 
was  observable.  They  felt  secure,  and  no  special  means 
were  taken  to  avert  the  coming  storm. 

So  well  concerted  were  the  arrangements  for  attack,  and 
such  consummate  duplicity  and  deception  were  used  in 
carrying  them  out,  that  nearly  all  the  English  forts  at  the 
west  were,  within  a  few  days  from  the  first  demonstration, 
in  the  hands  of  the  savages,  the  garrisons  having  been 


PONTIAC'S   WAR. 


381 


massacred  or  enslaved.  No  less  than  nine  trading  and 
military  posts  were  destroyed.  Of  the  seizure  of  Michili- 
mackinac,  next  to  Detroit  the  most  important  station  on 
the  lakes,  we  have  the  most  particular  account. 

Hundreds  of  Indians,  mostly  Chippewas  and  Sacs,  had 
been  loitering  about  the  place  for  some  days  previous,  and 
on  the  4th  of  June  they  proceeded  to  celebrate  the  king's 
birthday  by  a  great  game  at  ball.  This  sport,  carried  on, 
as  usual,  with  noise  and  tumult,  threw  the  garrison  off  their 
guard,  at  the  same  time  that  it  afforded  a  pretext  for  clam 
bering  into  the  fort.  The  ball  was  several  times,  as  if  by 
accident,  knocked  within  the  pickets,  the  whole  gang  rush 
ing  in  pursuit  of  it  with  shouts.  At  a  favorable  moment 
they  fell  upon  the  English,  dispersed  and  unsuspicious  of 
intended  harm,  and  before  any  effectual  resistance  could 
be  made,  murdered  and  scalped  seventy  of  the  number. 
The  remainder,  being  twenty  men,  were  taken  captive.  A 
Mr.  Henry,  who,  by  the  good  offices  of  a  Pawnee  woman, 
was  concealed  in  the  house  of  a  Frenchman,  gives  a  mi 
nute  detail  of  the  terrible  scene.  From  his  account,  all 
the  fury  of  the  savage  seems  to  have  been  aroused  in  the 
bosoms  of  the  assailants.  He  avers  that  he  saw  them 
drinking  the  blood  of  their  mangled  victims  in  a  transport 
of  exulting  rage. 

Over  an  immense  district  of  country,  from  the  Ohio  to 
the  lakes,  the  outbreak  of  the  combined  nations  spread 
desolation  and  dismay. 


382  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

CHAPTER    II. 

SIEGE  OF  DETROIT.  —  BATTLE  OF  BLOODY  BRIDGE. 

PONTIAC  himself  turned  his  attention  to  the  reduction 
of  Detroit.  He  well  knew  that  a  rich  booty  awaited  him 
if  he  could  possess  himself  of  this  important  place,  and 
laid  his  plans  with  caution  and  care  suitable  to  the  magni 
tude  of  the  enterprise.  The  town  was  fortified  by  pickets 
and  block-houses,  and  contained  a  garrison  of  one  hun 
dred  and  thirty  men.  The  other  inhabitants  consisted  of 
only  a  few  traders. 

Pontiac's  intention  was  to  demand  a  conference  with 
Major  Gladwyn,  the  commandant,  taking  with  him  as  many 
of  his  warriors  as  could  obtain  admittance  ;  and  at  a  given 
signal  to  fall  upon  and  kill  the  officers  of  the  garrison. 
The  work  of  destruction  was  to  be  completed  by  the  aid 
of  his  followers  from  without  the  fort.  Those  whom  he 
had  chosen  to  share  with  him  the  danger  of  the  first  on 
slaught,  Avere  each  furnished  with  a  rifle,  having  the  barrel 
so  shortened  that  it  could  be  concealed  under  the  blanket 
usually  worn  by  an  Indian  as  his  outer  garment. 

The  account  generally  received  of  the  manner  in  which 
Major  Gladwyn  became  acquainted  with  the  plot,  and  of 
the  means  resorted  to  by  him  to  ward  off  the  danger,  is 
as  follows  :  Pontiac,  with  several  hundred  warriors,  pre 
sented  himself  without  the  camp,  and  requested  an  au 
dience.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  a  squaw  came 
to  deliver  to  the  major  a  pair  of  moccasins  which  he  had 
engaged  her  to  make  from  an  elk-skin.  After  he  had 
praised  her  work,  paid  her  handsomely,  and  dismissed  her, 
with  directions  to  convert  the  rest  of  the  skin  into  similar 
articles,  she  continued  to  linger  about  the  premises,  appar 
ently  in  an  unsatisfied  frame  of  mind.  Her  answers  to 
those  who  questioned  her  were  so  singular,  particularly  a 


PONTIAC'S    WAR.  383 

hint  that  she  dropped  respecting  the  difficulty  she  should 
have  in  "  bringing  the  skin  back,"  that  the  major  exam 
ined  her  closely,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  full  particu 
lars  of  the  impending  danger.  The  poor  woman,  affected 
by  his  kindness,  had  been  unwilling  to  see  her  patron  mur 
dered,  but  fear  of  the  vengeance  of  her  own  people,  or  a 
natural  feeling  of  interest  in  their  success,  had  restrained 
her  from  sooner  betraying  their  deadly  purpose. 

Through  the  night,  and  previous  to  the  morning's  con 
ference,  the  Indians  were  distinctly  heard  performing  their 
war-songs  and  dances  ;  but  no  intimation  was  given  them 
of  any  suspicion,  and  the  party  deputed  for  the  grand  talk 
was  admitted  within  the  pickets.  Pontiac  saw  that  the 
garrison  was  under  arms,  and  he  at  once  asked  the  reason 
for  such  precautions.  The  major  represented  that  it  was 
merely  to  discipline  his  soldiers. 

The  Ottawa  chief  opened  the  council  with  a  haughty 
and  threatening  speech,  and  was  about  to  give  the  signal 
for  attack  —  by  some  peculiar  mode  of  delivering  a  wam 
pum  belt  to  the  commandant  —  when  a  sudden  change  in 
the  demeanor  of  the  English  quelled  and  discomposed  him. 
He  heard  the  drums  beat,  and  saw  every  soldier's  musket 
levelled,  and  the  swords  of  the  officers  drawn  and  ready  for 
use.  Major  Gladwyn,  stepping  to  the  warrior  nearest  him, 
lifted  his  blanket,  and  disclosed  the  shortened  rifle.  He 
then  upbraided  the  sachem  for  his  intended  villany,  and, 
taking  no  advantage  of  the  opportunity  for  securing  him, 
gave  proof  of  his  own  high-minded  sense  of  honor  by 
dismissing  the  whole  party  unharmed.  The  premeditated 
treachery  of  Pontiac  would  have  fully  justified  the  com 
mandant  in  taking  his  life,  had  he  deemed  it  necessary  for 
the  protection  of  himself  and  people. 

Immediately  subsequent  to  the  failure  of  this  undertak 
ing,  the  Indians  began  openly  to  attack  the  town.  They 
barbarously  murdered  a  Mrs.  Turnbell  and  her  two  sons, 


384  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

who  lived  a  short  distance  from  the  fort ;  and  killed  or 
took  prisoners  the  occupants  of  an  establishment  belonging 
to  a  Mr.  James  Fisher,  still  farther  up  the  river. 

From  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  Indians  were  now 
seen  collected  to  lay  siege  to  the  town.  The  condition  of 
the  garrison  appeared  perilous  in  the  extreme,  not  only 
from  the  insufficient  supply  of  provisions,  but  from  the 
necessity  for  keeping  constant  watch  throughout  the  whole 
extent  of  the  stockade.  The  soldiers  were  wearied  by 
being  continually  on  duty,  by  the  loss  of  their  natural 
rest ;  but  their  courage  and  spirit  appeared  to  be  unsub 
dued,  and  the  commandant  abandoned  his  first  intention 
of  evacuating  the  place.  The  French  who  were  residing 
in  Detroit  brought  about  a  negotiation,  but  Pontiac  insisted 
upon  the  surrender  of  the  town,  and  of  all  the  valuable 
goods  stored  there,  as  the  only  condition  upon  which  he 
would  discontinue  hostilities.  The  major  was  equally 
determined  in  his  intention  of  maintaining  his  position. 

The  siege  commenced  early  in  May,  and  no  succor  or 
supplies  reached  the  garrison  for  more  than  a  month. 
About  the  end  of  May  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  land 
forces  and  provisions  by  boats  sent  from  Niagara,  but  the 
vigilance  of  the  Indians  rendered  it  abortive.  Many  of 
the  English  were  slain,  and  many  more  were  reserved  to 
glut  the  vengeance  of  the  savages  at  the  stake. 

In  the  month  of  June,  a  vessel,  also  from  Niagara,  made 
her  way  up  the  river,  in  spite  of  the  attacks  of  the  Indians, 
who  exposed  their  lives  with  the  utmost  temerity  in  at 
tempts  to  board  her.  Fifty  soldiers  were  landed  at  the 
fort,  and  a  timely  supply  of  provision  gave  new  courage 
to  the  weary  garrison.  Mr.  Thatcher,  in  his  "  Indian 
Biography,"  gives  extracts  from  various  letters,  written 
from  the  fort  during  the  siege,  which  quaintly  enough 
portray  the  condition  of  its  inmates.  We  quote  the  fol 
lowing  from  a  letter  of  July  9th  (1763) : 


PONTIAC'S   WAR.  885 

"  You  have  long  ago  heard  of  our  pleasant  situation,  but 
the  storm  has  blown  over.  Was  it  not  very  agreeable  to 
hear  every  day  of  their  cutting,  carving,  boiling,  and  eat 
ing  our  companions  ?  To  see  every  day  dead  bodies 
floating  down  the  river,  mangled  and  disfigured  ?  But 
Britons,  you  know,  never  shrink  ;  we  always  appeared 
gay  to  spite  the  rascals.  They  boiled  and  ate  Sir  Robert 
Devers  ;  and  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Pauly,  who  escaped, 
the  other  clay,  from  one  of  the  stations  surprised  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  and  commanded  by  himself,  that 
he  had  seen  an  Indian  have  the  skin  of  Captain  Robert 
son's  arm  for  a  tobacco-pouch  !  " 

A  reinforcement  of  some  three  hundred  men,  under 
Captain  Dalyell,  reached  Detroit  the  last  of  July.  Thus 
strengthened,  the  commander  deemed  it  advisable  to  make 
an  immediate  sally,  and,  if  possible,  break  up  the  Indian 
encampment.  Pontiac  heard  of  the  intended  movement, 
and  was  well  prepared  for  the  English  when  they  made 
their  sortie  in  the  evening.  So  deadly  and  unexpected 
was  the  fire  of  the  Indians,  who  lay  concealed  on  either 
side  of  the  path,  near  the  bridge  over  Bloody  Run,  that 
more  than  one  hundred  of  the  troops  were  said  to  have 
been  killed  or  wounded. 

Subsequent  to  this  period  we  have  no  reliable  history  of 
the  acts  of  the  great  sachem  of  the  Ottawas.  His  people 
hung  round  Detroit  until  the  ensuing  spring,  keeping  the 
inhabitants  in  continual  alarm.  The  strong  force  which 
was  led  into  the  western  country  by  General  Bradstreet  in 
the  early  part  of  the  summer  of  1764,  effectually  overawed 
and  quieted  the  hostile  Indians. 

Pontiac  is  said  to  have  been  assassinated  by  a  Peoria 
Indian,  in  the  English  interest,  while  attending  a  council 
in  1767.  Considerable  uncertainty,  however,  attends  the 
recital  of  the  latter  events  of  his  life,  and  of  the  causes 
which  led  to  his  death. 


THE  DELAWARES,  SHAWANEES, 

AND  OTHER  TRIBES  OF  THE  MIDDLE  AND  WESTERN  STATES. 

CHAPTER    I. 

THE  DEL  A  WARES.  — WILLIAM  PENN.  —  ST.  TAMMANY.  —  THE  MORA 
VIANS.  —  THE  SHAWANEES.  — FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR. —  BRAD- 
DOCK'S  DEFEAT.  —  MASSACRE  OF  THE  CANESTOGA  INDIANS.— 
DANIEL  BOONE. 

"  A  noble  race  !  but  they  are  gone 
With  their  old  forests  wide  and  deep, 
And  we  have  built  our  homes  upon 
Fields  where  their  generations  sleep." 

BRYANT. 

ASSOCIATED  with  the  early  history  of  the  Delawares  are 
thoughts  of  William  Perm,  and  of  his  peaceful  intercourse 
with,  and  powerful  influence  over,  the  wild  natives  with 
whom  he  treated.  At  the  first  settlement  of  the  country 
by  Europeans,  the  tribes  of  this  nation  occupied  no  small 
portion  of  the  present  state  of  Pennsylvania,  but  their 
principal  settlements  lay  between  the  Potomac  and  the 
Hudson.  Situated  between  the  great  northern  and  south 
ern  confederacies,  they  were  in  turn  at  enmity  and  engaged 
in  wars  with  either  party  ;  but,  at  an  early  day,  they  were 
in  a  measure  subdued  and  reduced  to  a  state  of  inferiority 
by  the  Six  Nations. 

The  conduct  of  Penn  towards  the  Indians  has  ever  been 
spoken  of  with  high  admiration  ;  and  we  are  assured  that 
his  care  for  their  interests,  and  anxiety  to  secure  their 

(386) 


WILLIAM  FINN. 


THE  DELA WARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  389 

rights,  and  to  protect  them  from  wrongs  and  aggression, 
caused  his  name  to  be  idolized  among  the  Delawares. 
Upon  obtaining  the  immense  grant  from  the  crown,  named 
Pennsylvania  at  the  time  of  its  bestowment,  his  first 
thought  was  to  draw  up  a  table  of  "  conditions  and  con 
cessions,"  for  the  government  of  those  who  should  adven 
ture  with  him  in  the  settlement  of  the  wilderness.  He 
expressly  stipulated,  in  behalf  of  the  Indians,  that  their 
persons  and  property  should  be  protected  by  the  same 
laws  and  penalties  as  those  of  the  whites  ;  that  overreaching 
in  trade  should  be  avoided  by  the  conduct  of  all  sales  in 
market  overt ;  that  a  jury  of  six  whites  and  six  Indians 
should  pass  upon  matters  in  dispute  between  individuals 
of  the  different  races  ;  and  that  the  interest  of  the  Indian 
should  be  made  the  special  care  of  every  magistrate. 

In  the  autumn  of  1682,  Penn  came  over  from  England 
to  regulate  his  new  colony,  and  especially  to  confirm  the 
friendly  relations  existing  with  the  Indians  inhabiting  his 
territory.  In  Clarkson's  Memoirs  of  Penn,  the  following 
mention  is  made  of  his  grand  treaty  with  these  native  pro 
prietors.  From  religious  scruples,  he  did  not  consider  his 
claim,  by  virtue  of  the  king's  grant,  to  be  valid  without 
the  assent  of  the  occupants,  and  he  determined  to  make 
honorable  purchases  of  all  that  he  should  require.  Ar 
rangements  had  been  made,  by  commissioners,  previous 
to  Penn's  arrival,  for  a  great  meeting,  for  the  purpose  of 
ratifying  the  proposed  sale.  "  He  proceeded,  therefore, 
(at  the  appointed  time,)  accompanied  by  his  friends,  con 
sisting  of  men,  women,  and  young  persons  of  both  sexes, 
to  Coaquannoc,  the  Indian  name  for  the  place  where 
Philadelphia  now  stands.  On  his  arrival  there  he  found 
the  sachems  and  their  tribes  assembling.  They  were  seen 
in  the  woods,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  carry,  and  looked 
frightful,  both  on  account  of  their  number  and  their  arms. 
The  Quakers  are  reported  to  have  been  but  a  handful  in 


390  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

comparison,  and  these  without  any  weapon  —  so  that  dis 
may  and  terror  had  come  upon  them,  had  they  not  con 
fided  in  the  righteousness  of  their  cause." 

The  conference  took  place  upon  the  site  afterwards 
occupied  by  the  town  of  Kensington,  a  few  miles  above 
Philadelphia,  and  called,  by  the  Indians,  Shackermaxon. 
"  There  was,  at  Shackermaxon,  an  elm-tree  of  prodigious 
size.  To  this  the  leaders,  on  both  sides,  repaired,  approach 
ing  each  other  under  its  widely-spreading  branches." 
Penn  wore  no  ornament,  or  symbol  of  authority,  except  a 
blue  sash.  Standing  up  before  the  assembly,  he  directed 
the  articles  of  merchandise  brought  for  the  purchase,  to  be 
spread  before  him,  and,  displaying  the  engrossed  copy  of 
the  treaty,  awaited  the  movements  of  the  Indian  chiefs. 

"  One  of  the  sachems,  who  was  chief  among  them,  put 
upon  his  own  head  a  kind  of  chaplet,  in  which  there  ap 
peared  a  small  horn.  This,  as  among  the  primitive  Eastern 
nations,  and,  according  to  scripture  language,  was  an  em 
blem  of  kingly  power.  *  *  Upon  putting  on  this  horn, 
the  Indians  threw  down  their  bows  and  arrows,  and  seated 
themselves  round  their  chiefs,  in  the  form  of  a  half-moon 
upon  the  ground." 

The  interpreter  now  announced  the  readiness  of  the 
chiefs  to  listen,  and  Penn  proceeded  to  read  and  explain 
the  provisions  of  the  treaty.  He  premised  that  he  and  his 
people  used  no  warlike  implements,  but  that  all  their 
de.-sire  was  for  peace  and  concord.  By  the  articles  of 
agreement,  the  Indians  were  to  be  allowed  to  retain  pos- 
K'»ion,  for  all  needful  purposes,  even  of  the  land  sold, 
and  particular  specifications  were  inserted,  touching  the 
manner  in  which  their  rights  should  be  enforced. 

He  then  made  the  stipulated  payments  ;  distributed  ad 
ditional  presents  ,-  and,  laying  the  parchment  on  the  ground, 
proceeded  to  say  that  "  he  would  not  do  as  the  Maryland- 
ers  did,  that  is,  call  them  children  or  brothers  only ;  for 


THE   DELAWARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  391 

often  parents  were  apt  to  whip  their  children  too  severely, 
and  brothers  sometimes  would  differ :  neither  would  he 
compare  the  friendship  between  him  and  them  to  a  chain, 
for  the  rain  might  sometimes  rust  it,  or  a  tree  might  fall 
and  break  it ;  but  he  should  consider  them  as  the  same 
flesh  and  blood  with  the  Christians,  and  the  same  as  if  one 
man's  body  were  to  be  divided  into  two  parts."  Handing 
the  parchment  to  the  chief  sachem,  Penn  then  desired  him 
and  his  associates  ' '  to  preserve  it  carefully  for  three  gen 
erations,  that  their  children  might  know  what  had  passed 
between  them,  just  as  if  he  had  remained  himself  with 
them  to  repeat  it.  *  *  (  This,'  says  Voltaire,  '  was  the 
only  treaty  between  those  people  and  the  Christians  that 
was  not  ratified  by  an  oath,  and  that  never  was  broken.'  '' 

After-accounts  of  the  Indians,  as  given  by  Penn  and  his 
associates,  in  which  the  estimable  points  of  native  character 
are  pleasingly  portrayed,  contrast  strangely  with  the  mal 
edictions  and  bitter  expressions  of  hatred  which  too  many 
of  the  early  chroniclers  heap  upon  their  Indian  enemies. 
Never  was  a  truer  saying  than  the  Spanish  proverb,  (s  he 
who  has  injured  you  will  never  forgive  you." 

The  name  by  which  these  Indians  have  ever  been  desig 
nated,  was  bestowed  upon  them  by  the  English,  from  Lord 
De  la  War :  in  their  own  tongue  they  were  called  the 
Lenni  Lcnape,  (Original  People,)  as  the  chief  and  principal 
stock  from  which  mankind  in  general  had  sprung. 

Conspicuous  among  the  traditions  of  the  Delawares  ap 
pears  the  name  of  their  old  chief  Tamanend,  or  Tammany. 
We  have  110  very  specific  accounts  of  the  history  of  this 
renowned  sachem,  but  the  veneration  with  which  the  In 
dians  recounted  his  wisdom  and  virtues  served  to  raise  his 
character  so  high  with  the  colonists  that  he  was,  in  a  man 
ner,  canonized.  The  "Home  Journal,"  of  June  12th, 
1852,  makes  the  following  mention  of  the  singular  respect 
paid  to  his  memory  : 


392  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

"  St.  Tammany  is,  we  believe,  our  only  American  saint. 
He  was  the  chief  of  an  Indian  tribe  which  inhabited  Penn 
sylvania,  while  that  state  was  still  a  colony,  and  excited  so 
much  respect  by  his  virtues  and  exploits,  both  among  the 
white  and  red  men,  that,  after  his  death,  he  was  canonized, 
and  the  day  of  his  birth,  the  first  of  May,  regarded  as  a 
holiday. 

"  '  All  Christian  countries,'  says  the  Savannah  Republi 
can,  '  have  their  tutelar  saint.  England  has  her  St.  George  ; 
Scotland  her  St.  Andrew ;  Ireland  her  St.  Patrick  ;  France 
her  St.  Crispan ;  and  Spain  her  St.  Jago.  In  this  country 
we  have  St.  Tammany,  Throughout  the  revolutionary 
war,  the  natal-day  of  this  saint  was  observed  with  great 
respect,  by  the  army  as  well  as  by  the  people.  It  was  not 
till  Mr.  Jefferson's  administration,  when  General  Dearborn 
was  secretary  of  war,  that  the  observance  of  it  by  the  army 
was  dispensed  with,  and  the  change  was  made  then  only 
with  the  view  of  carrying  out  the  system  of  retrenchment 
which  the  president  sought  to  introduce  in  the  administra 
tion  of  the  government.  The  first  fort  built  at  St.  Mary's, 
Camdeii  county,  and  perhaps  the  first  fort  in  the  state,  was 
called  Fort  St.  Tammany.  A  gentleman  now  residing  in 
this  city  was  present,  while  a  boy,  at  a  celebration,  by  the 
officers  and  soldiers  stationed  at  the  fort,  of  St.  Tammany's- 
day.  The  May -pole  used  on  this  occasion  was  a  tree,  with 
its  branches  and  bark  removed ;  and  around  that  the  sol 
diers  danced  and  celebrated  the  day.' " 

It  was  among  the  Delawares  that  one  of  the  most  inter 
esting  communities  of  Christian  Indians  ever  existing  in 
America,  was  established  by  the  efforts  of  the  Moravian 
mission.  The  venerable  Count  Zinzendorf,  David  Zeis- 
berger,  and  John  Heckewelder,  were  zealous  and  promi 
nent  partakers  in  the  work  of  converting  and  instructing 
the  Indians.  From  Heckewelder  we  have  received  much 
minute  and  interesting  detail  of  the  habits  of  the  people 


THE  DELAWARES,  SHAWANEES,  ETC.        393 

among  whom  he  labored,  and  the  humanizing  and  endur 
ing  influence  of  Christian  doctrine,  enforced  by  good  ex 
ample  on- the  part  of  its  preachers. 

The  circumstances  under  which  the  missionary  work  was 
carried  on  were  extremely  adverse.  During  the  long  and 
bloody  French  and  Indian  wars,  every  tale  of  border  cruel 
ties  and  massacre,  committed  by  the  savages,  would  in 
stantly  arouse  a  spirit  of  retaliation  against  the  whole  race, 
which  frequently  resulted  in  the  most  brutal  outrages 
against  the  peaceful  Moravian  Indians.  A  population  of 
lawless  whites  inhabited  the  border  country,  whom  Hecke- 
welder  mildly  rebukes  in  the  following  terms  \ 

"  I  have  yet  to  notice  a  class  of  people  generally  known 
to  us  by  the  name  of  (  backwoods-men/  many  of  whom, 
acting  up  to  a  pretended  belief,  that  '  an  Indian  has  no 
more  soul  than  a  buffalo ; '  and  that  to  kill  either  is  the 
same  thing ;  have,  from  time  to  time,  by  their  conduct, 
brought  great  trouble  and  bloodshed  on  the  country.  Such 
then  I  wish  to  caution,  not  to  sport  in  that  manner  with 
the  lives  of  God's  creatures.  *  *  *  *  Believe  that  a  time 
will  come  when  you  must  account  for  such  vile  deeds ! 
When  those  who  have  fallen  a  sacrifice  to  your  wickedness 
will  be  called  forth  in  judgment  against  you  !  nay,  when 
your  own  descendants  will  testify  against  you" 


The  Shawanees  were  a  very  extensive  and  warlike  tribe. 
They  were,  according  to  Indian  tradition,  originally  from 
the  south,  having  inhabited  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of 
Savannah,  in  Georgia,  and  a  portion  of  West  Florida. 
Being  engaged  in  continual  war  with  the  Creeks  and  other 
southern  nations,  and  being  of  an  adventurous  and  roving 
disposition,  they  finally  emigrated  northward,  and  were  re 
ceived  upon  terms  of  friendship  by  the  Delaware*.  They 
settled  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  extending  themselves 
23 


394  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

gradually  farther  west,  and  mingling  with  other  neighbor 
ing  nations.  Their  head-quarters  were,  in  early  times,  not 
far  from  Pittsburgh.  In  their  new  homes  they  prospered 
and  increased,  and  long  remained  one  of  the  most  formi 
dable  nations  of  the  west.  They  united  with  the  Dela- 
wares  in  hostilities  against  the  southern  tribes. 

In  after-times,  thrilling  legends  of  war  and  massacre  in 
"  the  dark  and  bloody  ground,"  and  throughout  the  west 
ern  border,  attest  the  active  and  dangerous  spirit  of  this 
warlike  and  implacable  tribe.  In  the  French  and  Indian 
wars,  and  in  the  long  struggle  which  resulted  in  our  na 
tional  independence,  they  were  so  mingled  with  other 
western  tribes,  that  we  shall  not  attempt  to  distinguish 
them,  nor  shall  we  devote  that  space  to  the  biography  of 
many  of  their  chiefs  and  warriors  which  their  prowess 
might  demand  in  a  more  extended  work.  "We  shall  give, 
in  their  order,  some  of  the  more  celebrated  Indian  cam 
paigns  at  the  west,  with  various  incidents  connected  with 
the  first  settlement  of  the  western  states. 

About  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  French, 
as  already  mentioned,  had,  in  strengthening  their  cordon 
of  posts  between  their  settlements  in  Canada  and  Louis 
iana,  formed  alliance  with  many  Indian  tribes  to  whom 
they  were  brought  in  proximity.  Their  nearest  and  most 
dangerous  approach  to  the  English  establishments,  was  in 
the  erection  of  the  military  stronghold  called  Fort  Du- 
quesne,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Alleghany  and  Mononga- 
hela.  In  the  attempt  to  dislodge  them  from  this  post  the 
military  talents  of  George  Washington  were  first  exhibited. 
After  distinguishing  himself  by  his  bravery  and  prudence 
in  contests  with  the  Indians  and  French,  which,  owing  to 
an  insufficiency  of  force,  resulted  in  nothing  decisive  or 
materially  advantageous,  he  was  attached  to  the  powerful 
army  under  General  Braddock,  in  the  capacity  of  aid-de 
camp  to  the  commanding  officer. 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,   ETC.  395 

"With  a  force  of  more  than  two  thousand  men,  besides 
some  Indian  allies,  the  British  general  set  systematically 
about  the  reduction  of  the  French  fort.  Leaving  a  large 
body  of  troops  under  Colonel  Dunbar,  at  Great  Meadows, 
he  marched  in  compact  military  array  to  the  attack.  No 
one  doubts  the  courage  of  General  Braddock,  or  his  capa 
city  to  have  conducted  a  campaign  in  an  open  and  inhab 
ited  country,  but  his  dogmatic  obstinacy  and  adherence  to 
established  tactics  proved,  upon  this  occasion,  the  destruc 
tion  of  himself  and  his  army. 

When  Washington,  then  only  twenty-two  years  of  age, 
respectfully  represented  to  his  superior  the  danger  of  an 
exposed  march  through  a  country  like  that  they  were  trav 
ersing,  and  suggested  the  necessity  for  providing  a  suffi 
cient  party  of  scouts  acquainted  with  the  locality  to  guard 
against  surprise,  he  was  insultingly  checked  by  the  ejacu 
lation  :  "  High  times !  high  times !  when  a  young  Buck 
skin  teaches  a  British  general  how  to  fight." 

It  was  on  the  9th  of  July,  1755,  that  the  engagement 
took  place.  Captain  Contrncoeur,  who  had  command  of 
the  fort,  had  obtained  information  of  the  advance  upon  the 
previous  day,  and  despatched  M.  de  Beaujeu,  with  all  the 
troops  he  could  muster,  to  meet  the  enemy.  His  whole 
available  force  consisted  of  from  five  hundred  to  one  thou 
sand  men,  of  whom  the  majority  were  Indians,  but  a 
knowledge  of  the  ground,  and  the  gross  error  of  the  Eng 
lish  commander,  more  than  compensated  for  the  disparity 
in  numbers  and  discipline.  An  ambush  was  formed  where 
a  ravine  led  from  a  plain  into  a  high  wooded  piece  of 
ground.  The  advancing  column  had  no  sooner  penetrated 
into  this  defile  than  the  attack  commenced. 

A  most  appalling  carnage  ensued  :  the  Indians,  firing 
from  covert  upon  the  closely  marshalled  ranks  of  the  reg 
ulars,  soon  threw  them  into  utter  confusion.  M.  Beaujeu 
was,  indeed,  killed  at  the  first  onset,  but  his  lieutenant, 


396  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Dumas,  continued  to  inspire  his  troops,  and  cheer  them  on 
to  their  now  easy  victory.  A  complete  rout  ensued,  and 
the  Indians,  rushing  from  their  places  of  concealment,  fell 
upon  the  panic-stricken  fugitives  with  their  deadly  toma 
hawks.  The  Virginians  alone  proved  in  any  degree  effec 
tive  in  resisting  the  enemy  and  covering  the  disorderly 
retreat.  The  loss,  on  the  part  of  the  British,  in  killed, 
wounded  and  prisoners,  was  not  far  from  eight  hundred. 
All  the  artillery  and  baggage  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
French,  who,  with  their  Indian  allies,  remained  in  undis 
puted  possession  of  the  field. 

Falling  back  upon  Colonel  Dunbar's  reserve,  instead  of 
making  a  renewed  stand,  the  whole  army  continued  a  pre 
cipitate  retreat  into  Virginia.  In  this  action  most  of  the 
Virginia  troops,  who,  adopting  the  Indian  manner  of  war 
fare,  betook  themselves  to  sheltered  positions  wrhen  the 
fight  commenced,  fell  victims  to  their  constancy  and  bra 
very.  Colonel  Washington  had  not  fully  recovered  from 
a  severe  attack  of  illness  at  the  time,  and  was  with  great 
difficulty  able  to  undergo  the  fatigues  incident  to  his  posi 
tion.  He  had  two  horses  shot  under  him,  and  received 
four  bullets  through  his  coat,  but  escaped  from  the  conflict 
unwounded.  General  Braddock  died  a  few  days  after,  of 
a  wound  in  the  lungs. 


The  Delawares,  and  more  especially  the  Shawanees,  were 
implicated  in  the  extensive  conspiracy  excited  by  the  re 
nowned  Pontiac,  in  the  year  1763.  It  was  in  this  year 
that  a  cruel  and  disgraceful  outrage  was  perpetrated  upon 
a  peaceful  community  of  Indians  at  Canestoga,  near  Lan 
caster.  No  sooner  had  news  of  Indian  murders  and  rav 
ages  been  spread  among  the  white  settlements,  than  a  de 
termination  was  evinced  by  certain  miscreants  to  destroy 
these  harmless  people,  upon  suspicion  or  pretence  that  they 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,   ETC.  397 

were  concerned,  in  some  way,  in  the  recent  border  out 
rages. 

The  Canestoga  Indians  were  few  in  number,  and  per 
fectly  peaceful  and  inoffensive.  They  had  inhabited  the 
same  little  settlement  for  more  than  a  century,  and,  ac 
cording  to  Hecke welder,  "  their  ancestors  had  been  among 
those  who  had  welcomed  William  Penn,  on  his  first  arrival 
in  this  country ;  presenting  him,  at  the  time,  with  ven 
ison,  &c." 

In  the  month  of  November,  (1763,)  fifty-seven  white 
savages  started  from  Paxton  to  destroy  this  establishment. 
They  murdered  all  whom  they  could  find,  to  the  number 
of  fourteen,  of  every  age  and  sex :  the  remainder  (fifteen 
or  twenty)  escaped  to  Lancaster,  and  were  locked  up,  for 
safety,  in  the  jail.  Hither  the  "  Paxton  boys,"  as  they 
were  termed,  pursued  the  poor  creatures,  and,  breaking 
into  the  enclosure,  brutally  massacred  the  whole  of  them. 
The  following  is  extracted  from  the  letter  of  an  eye-witness 
to  this  transaction. 

«  *  *  I  ran  into  the  prison-yard,  and  there,  O  what  a 

horrid  sight  presented  itself  to  my  view  ! ! Near  the 

back  door  of  the  prison,  lay  an  old  Indian  and  his  squaw, 
(wife,)  particularly  well  known  and  esteemed  by  the  people 
of  the  town,  on  account  of  his  placid  and  friendly  conduct. 
His  name  was  Will  Sock ;  across  him  and  his  squaw  lay 
two  children  of  about  the  age  of  three  years,  whose  heads 
were  split  with  the  tomahawk,  and  their  scalps  all  taken 
off.  Towards  the  middle  of  the  jail-yard,  along  the  west 
side  of  the  wall,  lay  a  stout  Indian,  whom  I  particularly 
noticed  to  have  been  shot  in  the  breast ;  his  legs  were 
chopped  with  the  tomahawk,  his  hands  cut  off,  and  finally 
a  rifle-ball  discharged  in  his  mouth ;  so  that  his  head  was 
blown  to  atoms,  and  the  brains  were  splashed  against,  and 
yet  hanging  to  the  wall,  for  three  or  four  feet  around.  * 
In  this  manner  lay  the  whole  of  them,  men,  women  and 


398  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

children,  spread  about  the  prison-yard  :  shot  —  scalped  — 
hacked  —  and  cut  to  pieces." 

The  events  of  Cresap's  war,  in  which  the  Shawanees 
and  Delawares  were  so  largely  concerned,  have  been  al 
ready  briefly  described,  in  connection  with  the  history  of 
the  Iroquois.  After  the  great  battle  at  Point  Pleasant,  in 
which  they  and  their  allies  were  defeated,  a  short  cessation 
of  hostilities  between  them  and  the  colonists  ensued.  The 
breaking  out  of  the  revolutionary  war  revived  old  animosi 
ties,  and  suggested  new  motives  for  contention.  The 
Shawanees  were  early  won  over  to  espouse  the  British  in 
terests  :  the  division  of  the  Delawares  upon  the  question 
will  be  hereafter  explained. 

The  best  information  handed  down  to  us  concerning  the 
Shawanees,  at  this  period,  is  to  be  found  in  the  adventures 
of  the  bold  pioneer,  Daniel  Boone.  Impatient  of  the  re 
straints  or  competitions  of  an  inhabited  country,  and  led 
by  a  roving,  adventurous  spirit,  and  by  an  enthusiastic  ad 
miration  of  the  beauties  and  grandeur  of  the  unsettled 
western  wilderness,  he  forced  his  way  into  the  trackless 
solitudes  of  Kentucky,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  settle 
ment  whose  growth  and  prosperity  are  almost  unparalleled. 

On  the  8th  of  February,  1778,  Boone  was  taken  pris 
oner  by  a  strong  force  of  these  Indians,  then  on  their 
march  against  the  settlement  at  Boonesborough.  He  was 
carried  to  their  principal  town,  Old  Chilicothe,  on  the  Little 
Miami,  and  there  had  abundant  opportunity  for  observing 
their  native  peculiarities  and  usages.  His  character,  some 
what  analogous  to  that  of  Captain  John  Smith,  Benjamin 
Church,  and  others,  noted  for  their  successes  with  the  In 
dians,  was  bold,  frank,  and  fearless.  Men  of  such  nature 
and  disposition,  however  rude  and  uncultivated,  are  always 
the  best  able  to  conciliate  the  affections,  as  well  as  exercise 
control  over  the  minds  of  savages. 

Boone's   captors   took  such  a   liking  to   him  that  they 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,   ETC.  399 

positively  refused  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  English,  at 
Detroit,  whither  he  was  conveyed  with  his  companions. 
Leaving  the  rest  of  their  prisoners  at  that  post,  they  took 
him  back  to  Chilicothe,  refusing  the  governor's  offer  of  one 
hundred  pounds  if  they  would  part  with  their  .favorite. 
The  king  of  the  tribe  treated  Boone  with  great  courtesy 
and  respect,  and  he  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  his  ac 
commodations,  as  he  enjoyed  whatever  comforts  were  with 
in  the  reach  of  his  masters.  He  was  adopted  into  a  family, 
according  to  the  usual  Indian  custom ;  in  which  position  he 
says  :  "  I  became  a  son,  and  had  a  great  share  in  the  affec 
tion  of  my  new  parents,  brothers,  sisters,  and  friends.  I 
was  exceedingly  familiar  and  friendly  with  them,  always 
appearing  as  cheerful  and  satisfied  as  possible,  and  they 
put  great  confidence  in  me." 

His  captivity  lasted  until  the  month  of  June,  when,  re 
turning  from  a  salt-making  excursion,  on  the  Scioto,  he 
found  four  hundred  and  fifty  Shawanee  warriors,  collected 
with  arms  and  war-paint,  and  bound  on  an  expedition 
against  Boonesborough.  This  incited  him  to  attempt  an 
escape,  that  he  might  forewarn  the  settlement  of  the  intent. 
He  fled  a  little  before  day,  on  the  16th,  and  made  the  jour 
ney,  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  supported  by  a  single 
meal. 

The  bold  and  astonishing  defence  of  the  little  fort  at 
Boonesborough,  in  the  month  of  August,  against  a  large 
force  of  Indians,  accompanied  by  certain  Frenchmen,  is 
simply  and  unostentatiously  described  in  the  auto-biogra 
phy  of  this  redoubted  pioneer.  The  enemy,  after  a  siege 
of  twelve  days,  in  which  every  expedient  of  force  and 
treachery  failed  to  dislodge  the  garrison,  were  forced  to  re 
tire  without  effecting  their  purpose.  One  of  their  strata 
gems  was  as  follows  :  A  treaty  was  proposed  by  the  assail 
ants,  and  after  the  articles  were  drawn  up,  in  front  of  the 
fort,  and  formally  signed,  in  the  words  of  the  narrative  : 


400  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

"  the  Indians  told  us  it  was  customary  with  them  on  such 
occasions  for  two  Indians  to  shake  hands  with  every  white 
man  011  the  treaty,  as  an  evidence  of  entire  friendship. 
We  agreed  to  this,  but  were  soon  convinced  their  policy 
was  to  take  us  prisoners.  They  immediately  grappled  us ; 
but,  though  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  savages,  we  extri 
cated  ourselves  from  them,  and  escaped  all  safe  into  the 
garrison,  except  one  that  was  wounded,  through  a  heavy 
fire  from  their  army." 

Boone  took  a  prominent  part  in  many  of  the  contests 
which  preceded  the  quiet  occupation  of  the  land  of  his 
choice,  and  underwent  toils,  dangers,  and  privations  sel 
dom  awarded  to  any  one  man ;  but  he  lived  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  his  labors.  An  old  Indian,  upon  the  occasion  of 
one  of  the  more  important  treaties  of  cession,  after  signing 
the  articles,  took  Boone  by  the  hand,  saying :  "  Brother, 
we  have  given  you  a  fine  land,  but  I  believe  you  will  have 
much  trouble  in  settling  it."  The  old  settler  adds,  speak 
ing  of  the  former  appellation  bestowed  on  this  "  debatable 
ground "  :  "  My  footsteps  have  often  been  marked  with 
blood,  and  therefore  I  can  truly  subscribe  to  its  original 
name.  Two  darling  sons  and  a  brother  have  I  lost  by 
savage  hands.  *  *  Many  dark  and  sleepless  nights 
have  I  been  a  companion  for  owls,  separated  from  the 
cheerful  society  of  men,  scorched  by  the  summer's  sun, 
and  pinched  by  the  winter's  cold  —  an  instrument  ordained 
to  settle  the  wilderness.  But  now  £he  scene  is  changed  : 
peace  crowns  the  sylvan  shade." 


THE  DELAWARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  401 


CHAPTER    II. 

DIVISION  OF  THE  DELA W ARES.  —  WHITE-EYES,  AND  PIPE.  —  INDIAN 
CONFEDERACY  OF  1781.  —  ATTACK  ON  BRYANT'S  STATION,  AND 
BATTLE  NEAR  THE  BLUE  LICKS.  — GENERAL  CLARKE'S  EXPEDI 
TION. —DISASTROUS  CAMPAIGNS  OF  HARMAR  AND  ST.  CLAIR.  — 
MILITARY  OPERATIONS  OF  GENERAL  WAYNE. —  DECISIVE  BATTLE 
NEAR  THE  MAUMEE  RAPIDS,  AND  SUBSEQUENT  TREATY  OF  PEACE. 

"  They  waste  us  —  ay  —  like  April  snow 
In  the  warm  noon,  we  shrink  away  ; 
And  fast  they  follow  as  we  go 

Towards  the  setting  day  — 
Till  they  shall  fill  the  land,  and  we 
Are  driven  into  the  western  sea." 
BRYANT. 

As  the  settlements  of  the  Europeans  continued  to  in 
crease,  the  Delawares  gradually  removed  from  their  old 
quarters,  on  the  river  and  bay  which  bear  their  name,  to 
the  wilderness  of  the  west.  No  small  portion  of  the  tribe 
was,  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  revolutionary  war,  settled 
in  Ohio,  on  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  and  in  the  adja 
cent  country. 

Every  influence  was  brought  to  bear,  by  the  English 
emissaries  among  the  Delawares,  to  induce  them  to  take 
up  the  hatchet  against  the  rebellious  Americans.  The  ef 
fort  was,  in  part,  successful :  a  large  party,  headed  by  the 
celebrated  Captain  Pipe,  a  chief  of  the  Wolf  tribe,  de 
clared  for  the  king,  while  those  inclined  to  peace  and 
neutrality,  or  whose  sympathies  were  on  the  side  of  the 
colonies,  remained  under  the  guidance  of  Koguethagechton 
—  Anglice,  Captain  White-Eyes.  The  disasters  and  per 
plexities  in  which  the  nation  was  involved  by  such  a  divis 
ion  might  readily  be  foreseen.  Both  the  opposing  leaders 


402  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

were  men  of  talent,  energy,  and  boldness,  and  each  was 
heart  and  soul  enlisted  in  the  cause  to  which  he  had  united 
himself. 

It  is  recorded  of  White-Eyes  that,  early  in  the  war,  he 
met  with  a  deputation  of  the  Senecas,  (then,  as  we  have 
seen,  in  the  English  interest,)  and  boldly  avowed  his  own 
opinion.  In  reply  to  the  old  taunt,  thrown  out  by  one 
of  the  Iroquois,  of  former  subjection  and  humiliation,  the 
chief  broke  forth  indignantly :  "I  know  well  that  you 
consider  us  a  conquered  nation  —  as  women  —  as  your  in 
feriors.  You  have,  say  you,  shortened  our  legs,  and  put 
petticoats  on  us  !  You  say  you  have  given  us  a  hoe  and 
a  corn-pounder,  and  told  us  to  plant  and  pound  for  you  — 
you  men,  you  warriors !  But  look  at  me.  Am  I  not  full- 
grown,  and  have  I  not  a  warrior's  dress  ?  Ay,  I  am  a 
man,  and  these  are  the  arms  of  a  man,  —  and  all  that 
country  (pointing  towards  the  Alleghany)  on  the  other  side 
of  the  water  is  mine  !  "  White-Eyes  was  signally  success 
ful  in  his  efforts  to  undeceive  the  Indians  within  his  influ 
ence,  who  had  been  tampered  with  and  imposed  upon  by 
English  agents,  or  excited  by  sympathy  with  the  war-party. 
His  death,  which  took  place  at  Tuscarawas,  in  the  winter 
of  1779—80,  was  a  very  unfortunate  event  for  the  Amer 
icans.  He  died  of  that  great  scourge  of  the  Indian  races, 
the  small-pox. 

The  spring  of  1781  was  a  terrible  season  for  the  white 
settlements  in  Kentucky  and  the  whole  border  country. 
The  savages  who  surrounded  them  had  never  shown  so 
constant  and  systematic  a  determination  for  murder  and 
mischief.  Early  in  the  summer,  a  great  meeting  of  In 
dian  deputies  from  the  Shawanees,  Delawares,  Cherokees, 
Wyandots,  Tawas,  Pottawatomies,  and  divers  other  tribes 
from  the  north-western  lakes,  met  in  grand  council  of  war 
at  Old  Chilicothe.  The  persuasions  and  influence  of  two 
infamous  whites,  one  McKee,  and  the  notorious  Simon 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,   ETC, 


403 


Girty,  "  inflamed  their  savage  minds  to  mischief,  and  led 
them  to  execute  every  diabolical  scheme." 

Bryant's  station,  a  post  five  miles  from  Lexington,  was 
fixed  upon,  by  the  advice  of  Girty,  as  a  favorable  point  for 
the  first  attack.  About  five  hundred  Indians  and  whites 
encompassed  the  place  accordingly,  on  the  15th  of  August. 
Stratagem  and  assault  alike  failed  to  effect  an  entrance  :  a 
small  reenforcement  from  Lexington  managed  to  join  the 
garrison,  and  the  besiegers  were  compelled  to  retire  on  the 
third  day,  having  lost  thirty  of  their  number.  When 
Girty  came  forward,  on  one  occasion  during  the  siege, 
bearing  a  flag  of  truce,  and  proposing  a  surrender,  he  was 
received  with  every  expression  of  disgust  and  contempt. 
His  offers  were  spurned,  and  he  retired  "  cursing  and 
cursed,"  to  his  followers. 

The  enemy  were  pursued,  on  their  return,  by  Colonels 
Todd  and  Trigg,  Daniel  Boone,  and  Major  Harland,  with 
one  hundred  and  seventy -six  men.  The  rashness  of  some 
individuals  of  this  party,  who  were  unwilling  to  listen  to 
the  prudent  advice  of  Boone,  that  an  engagement  should 
be  avoided  until  a  large  expected  reenforcement  should 
arrive,  led  to  their  utter  discomfiture.  They  came  up 
with  the  Indians  at  a  bend  in  Licking  river,  beyond  the 
Blue  Licks,  and  had  hardly  forded  the  stream  when  they 
were  attacked  by  an  overpowering  force.  The  enemy 
had  cut  off  all  escape,  except  by  recrossing  the  river, 
in  the  attempt  to  accomplish  which,  multitudes  were 
destroyed.  Sixty-seven  of  the  Americans  were  killed ; 
among  the  number,  the  three  principal  officers  and  a  son 
of  Boone. 

The  outrages  of  the  savages  were,  soon  after  this,  sig 
nally  punished.  General  Clarke,  at  the  head  of  a  thousand 
men,  rendezvousing  at  Fort  Washington,  where  Cincinnati 
now  stands,  invaded  the  Indian  territory.  The  inhabitants 
fled,  in  terror,  at  the  approach  of  so  formidable  an  army, 


404  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

leaving  their  towns  to  be  destroyed.  "  We  continued  our 
pursuit/'  says  Boone,  who  was  with  the  army,  "  through 
five  towns  on  the  Miami  river  —  Old  Chilicothe,  Pecaway, 
New  Chilicothe,  Willis'  Towns,  and  Chilicothe  —  burnt 
them  all  to  ashes,  entirely  destroyed  their  corn,  and  other 
fruits,  and  every  where  spread  a  scene  of  desolation  in  the 
country." 

After  hostilities  between  England  and  America  had 
ceased,  these  western  tribes  of  Indians  still  continued  to 
molest  the  border  inhabitants  of  the  colonies.  Attempts 
to  bring  about  conferences  failed  signally  in  producing  any 
marked  or  permanent  benefit,  and  it  was  determined  by 
the  government  to  humble  them  by  the  force  of  arms. 

In  the  autumn  of  1791,  General  Harmar  marched  into 
the  Indian  territories,  at  the  head  of  nearly  fifteen  hundred 
men.  The  campaign  was  signally  unsuccessful.  The  army 
returned  to  Fort  Washington,  dispirited  and  broken  down, 
having  sustained  a  heavy  loss  in  men  and  officers,  and  with 
the  mortifying  consciousness  of  an  utter  failure  in  the  ac 
complishment  of  the  end  in  view. 

Major-General  Arthur  St.  Clair  was  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  next  expedition.  With  a  force  of  more 
than  two  thousand  men,  he  marched  towards  the  Indian 
settlements,  and  on  the  3d  of  November,  (1791,)  encamped 
within  fifteen  miles  of  the  Miami  villages.  On  his  way 
from  Fort  Washington  to  this  point,  he  had  built  and  gar 
risoned  Forts  Hamilton  and  Jefferson.  By  this  reduction 
of  his  troops,  and  by  a  more  extensive  loss  from  the  deser 
tion  of  some  hundreds  of  cowardly  militia,  he  had,  at  the 
time  of  which  we  are  speaking,  but  about  fourteen  hundred 
effective  soldiers. 

The  confederate  Indian  tribes  kept  themselves  perfectly 
informed,  by  their  scouting  parties,  of  all  the  enemy's 
movements,  and,  emboldened  by  recent  success,  prepared 
to  give  the  advancing  army  a  warm  reception.  The  prin- 


CHIEF  OK  TI1IC  DELAWAUK& 


THE    DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,   ETC.  407 

cipal  leader  of  the  united  nations,  was  the  celebrated 
Miami  chief,  Michikinaqua,  or  Little  Turtle.  He  was  one 
of  the  greatest  warriors  and  most  sagacious  rulers  ever 
known  among  the  red  men,  and  he  had  now  an  oppor 
tunity  for  the  full  display  of  his  abilities.  An  immense 
horde  of  fierce  savages,  impatient  for  war,  was  under  his 
control,  and  his  movements  were  seconded  by  able  subor 
dinates.  Among  these,  the  most  noted  were  Buckonga- 
helas,  now  war  chief  of  the  Delawares,  and  Blue-Jacket, 
the  Shawanee.  According  to  Colonel  Stone,  the  great 
Mohawk  chief,  Joseph  Brant,  Thayendanegea,  was  also 
present,  lending  the  assistance  of  his  counsel  and  arms. 
Hurons  or  Wyandots,  Iroquois,  Ottawas,  Pottawatomies, 
Chippewas,  Miamies,  Delawares,  and  Shawanees,  with  a 
host  of  minor  tribes,  were  collected  to  repel  the  common 
enemy.  The  number  of  their  warriors  assembled  on  the 
present  occasion  is  estimated  to  have  been  about  fifteen 
hundred,  although  some  have  set  it  down  at  twice  that  force. 

Before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  on  the  following  day,  (No 
vember  4th,)  the  savages  fell  upon  the  camp  of  the  whites. 
Never  was  a  more  decisive  victory  obtained.  In  vain  did 
the  American  general  and  his  officers  exert  themselves  to 
maintain  order,  and  to  rally  the  bewildered  troops.  The 
Indians,  firing  from  covert,  thinned  the  ranks  and  picked 
off  the  officers  by  a  continuous  and  murderous  discharge. 
A  disorderly  retreat  was  the  result.  Artillery,  baggage, 
and  no  small  portion  of  the  small  arms  of  the  militia,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  exultant  pursuers.  Fort  Jefferson 
was  nearly  thirty  miles  distant,  and  thither  the  defeated 
army  directed  its  flight.  The  Indians  followed  close  upon 
the  fugitives,  cutting  clown  and  destroying  at  will,  until, 
as  is  reported,  one  of  their  chiefs  called  out  to  them  to 
"  stop,  as  they  had  killed  enough  !  " 

The  temptation  offered  by  the  plunder  to  be  obtained  at 
the  camp  induced  the  Indians  to  return,  and  the  remnant 


408  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  the  invading  army  reached  Fort  Jefferson  about  sunset. 
The  loss,  in  this  battle,  on  the  part  of  the  whites,  was  no 
less  than  eight  hundred  and  ninety-four !  in  killed,  wounded, 
or  missing.  Thirty-eight  officers,  and  five  hundred  and 
ninety-three  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  were 
slain  or  missing.  The  Indians  lost  but  few  of  their  men, 
judging  from  a  comparison  of  the  different  accounts,  not 
much  over  fifty. 

At  the  deserted  camp  the  victorious  tribes  took  up  their 
quarters,  and  delivered  themselves  up  to  riot  and  exulta 
tion.  General  Scott,  with  a  regiment  of  mounted  Kentucky 
volunteers,  drove  them  from  the  spot  a  few  weeks  later, 
with  the  loss  of  their  plunder  and  of  some  two  hundred  of 
their  warriors. 

No  further  important  movement  was  made  to  overthrow 
the  power  of  the  Indians  for  nearly  three  years  from  this 
period.  Negotiation  proved  utterly  fruitless  with  a  race 
of  savages  inflated  by  their  recent  brilliant  successes,  and 
consequently  exorbitant  in  their  demands.  When  it  was 
finally  evident  that  nothing  but  force  could  check  the 
continuance  of  border  murders  and  robbery,  an  army  was 
collected,  and  put  under  the  command  of  General  Wayne, 
sometimes  called  "  Mad  Anthony,"  in  a  rude  style  of  com 
pliment  to  his  energy  and  courage,  not  uncommon  in  those 
times.  The  Indians  denominated  him  the  "  Black-Snake." 

The  winter  of  1793—4  was  spent  in  fortifying  a  military 
post  at  Greenville,  on  the  Miami,  and  another,  named  Fort 
Recovery,  upon  the  field  of  St.  Glair's  defeat.  The  last- 
mentioned  station  was  furiously  attacked  by  the  Indians, 
assisted  by  certain  Canadians  and  English,  on  the  30th  of 
the  following  June,  but  without  success.  It  was  not  until 
August,  (1794,)  that  General  Wayne  felt  himself  sufficiently 
reenforced,  and  his  military  posts  sufficiently  strengthened 
and  supplied,  to  justify  active  operations  in  the  enemy's 
countiy. 


THE    DELAWARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  409 

When  the  army  was  once  put  in  motion,  important  and 
decisive  events  rapidly  succeeded.  The  march  was  di 
rected  into  the  heart  of  the  Indian  settlements  on  the 
Miami,  now  called  Maumee,  a  river  emptying  into  the 
western  extremity  of  Lake  Erie.  Where  the  beautiful 
stream  Au  Glaise  empties  into  this  river,  a  fort  was  imme 
diately  erected,  and  named  Fort  Defiance.  From  this  post 
General  Wayne  sent  emissaries  to  invite  the  hostile  na 
tions  to  negotiation ;  but  the  pride  and  rancor  of  the  In 
dians  prevented  any  favorable  results.  Little  Turtle, 
indeed,  seemed  to  forebode  the  impending  storm,  and  ad 
vised  the  acceptance  of  the  terms  offered.  "  The  Ameri 
cans,"  said  he,  "  are  now  led  by  a  chief  who  never  sleeps : 
the  night  and  the  day  are  alike  to  him.  *  *  Think  well 
of  it.  There  is  something  whispers  me  it  would  be  pru 
dent  to  listen  to  his  offers  of  peace." 

The  British,  at  this  time,  in  defiance  of  their  treaties 
with  the  United  States,  still  maintained  possession  of  va 
rious  military  posts  at  the  west.  A  strong  fort  and  garri 
son  was  established  by  them  near  the  Miami  rapids,  and 
in  that  vicinity  the  main  body  of  the  Indian  warriors  was 
encamped.  Above,  and  below  the  American  camp,  the 
Miami,  and  Au  Glaise,  according  to  Wayne's  despatches, 
presented,  for  miles,  the  appearance  of  a  single  village, 
and  rich  corn-fields  spread  on  either  side.  "  I  have  never 
seen,"  says  the  writer,  "such  immense  fields  of  corn  in 
any  part  of  America,  from  Canada  to  Florida." 

Negotiations  proved  futile  :  the  Indians  were  evidently 
bent  on  war,  and  only  favored  delay  for  the  purpose  of 
collecting  their  full  force.  General  Wayne  therefore 
marched  upon  them,  and,  on  the  20th  of  the  month,  a  ter 
rible  battle  was  fought,  in  which  the  allied  tribes  were 
totally  defeated  and  dispersed.  The  Indians  greatly  out 
numbered  their  opponents,  and  had  taken  their  usual  pre 
cautions  in  selecting  a  favorable  spot  for  defence.  They 


410 


INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 


could  not,  however,  resist  the  attack  of  brave  and  disci 
plined  troops,  directed  by  so  experienced  and  skilful  a 
leader  as  Wayne.  The  fight  terminated  —  in  the  words  of 
the  official  despatch  —  "  under  the  guns  of  the  British  gar 
rison.  *  *  The  woods  were  strewed,  for  a  considerable  dis 
tance,  with  the  dead  bodies  of  Indians  and  their  white 
auxiliaries;  the  latter  armed  with  British  muskets  and 
bayonets." 

Some  days  were  now  spent  in  laying  waste  the  fields 
and  villages  of  the  miserable  savages,  whose  spirit  seemed 
to  be  completely  broken  by  this  reverse.  By  the  first  of 
January  following,  the  influence  of  Little  Turtle  and  Buck- 
ongahelas,  both  of  whom  saw  the  folly  of  further  quarrels 
with  the  United  States,  and  the  hopelessness  of  reliance 
upon  England,  negotiations  for  peace  were  commenced, 
and,  in  August,  (1795,)  a  grand  treaty  was  concluded  at 
Greenville. 


CHAPTER    III. 


CONDITION     OF     THE     INDIANS    SUBSEQUENT    TO    THE    PEACE.  — THE 
PROPHET  ELSKWATAWA.  —  TECUMSEH:   HIS  PLANS   AND   INTRIGUES. 

—  GENERAL     HARRISON'S     EXPEDITION     AGAINST     THE     PROPHET'S 
TOWN.  — DEFEAT  OF  THE   INDIANS   AT   TIPPECANOE.  — WAR   OF  1812. 

—  HARRISON'S    INVASION    OF    CANADA. —  BATTLE   OF   THE   THAMES, 
AND   DEATH   OF  TECUMSEH. 

NEAKLY  ten  years  of  peace  succeeded  the  treaty  of 
Greenville,  an  interval  which  proved  little  less  destructive 
to  the  tribes  of  the  north-west  than  the  desolations  of  their 
last  calamitous  war.  The  devastating  influence  of  intem 
perance  was  never  more  fearfully  felt  than  in  the  experi 
ence  of  these  Indian  nations  at  the  period  whose  history 


r  x  c  1 1  M  .s  /• 


THE    DELAWAEES,    SHAWANEES,    ETC.  413 

we  are  now  recording.  General  Harrison,  then  commis 
sioner  for  Indian  affairs,  reported  their  condition  in  the 
following  terms  :  "  So  destructive  has  been  the  progress 
of  intemperance  among  them,  that  whole  villages  have 
been  swept  away.  A  miserable  remnant  is  all  that  remains 
to  mark  the  names  and  situation  of  many  numerous  and 
warlike  tribes.  In  the  energetic  language  of  one  of  their 
orators,  it  is  a  dreadful  conflagration,  which  spreads  misery 
and  desolation  through  their  country,  and  threatens  the 
annihilation  of  the  whole  race." 

While  this  deadly  evil  was  constantly  increasing,  in  the 
year  1804,  a  distinguished  Indian  orator  began  to  excite  a 
wide-spread  discontent  among  the  nations  of  the  former 
north-western  confederacy.  This  was  the  self-styled  proph 
et,  Elskwatawa,  Olliwayshila,  or  Olliwachaca.  About  the 
year  1770,  a  woman  of  one  of  the  southern  tribes,  domes 
ticated  with  the  Shawanees,  according  to  report,  became 
mother  to  three  children  at  a  single  birth,  who  received 
the  names  of  TECUMSEH,  Elskwatawa,  and  Kumshaka — 
the  last  being  unknown  to  fame.  Their  father,  a  Shawa- 
nee  warrior,  perished  in  the  great  battle  at  Point  Pleasant. 
By  the  time  that  Tecumseh  had  attained  the  age  of  man 
hood,  he  had  already  become  noted  as  a  bold  and  sagacious 
warrior.  For  years  before  the  overthrow  of  the  Indian 
power  by  General  Wayne,  he  had  been  foremost  in  the 
incursions  which  spread  desolation  throughout  the  western 
settlements ;  and  when  the  peace,  concluded  at  Greenville, 
deprived  him  of  a  field  for  warlike  enterprise,  he  only 
retired  to  brood  over  new  mischief,  and,  in  conjunction 
with  his  brother,  the  Prophet,  to  excite  a  more  extensive 
conspiracy  than  had  ever  before  been  perfected. 

With  consummate  art,  Elskwatawa  exposed  the  evils 
attendant  on  the  white  man's  encroachments,  exhorting  to 
sobriety  and  a  universal  union  for  resistance.  He  pro 
claimed  himself  especially  commissioned  by  the  Great 
24 


414  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Spirit  to  foretell,  and  to  hasten,  by  his  own  efforts,  the  de 
struction  of  the  intruders,  and  by  various  appeals  to  the 
vanity,  the  superstition,  and  the  spirit  of  revenge,  of  his 
auditors,  he  acquired  a  strong  and  enduring  influence. 
The  chiefs  who  opposed  or  ridiculed  his  pretensions  were 
denounced  as  wizards  or  sorcerers,  and  proofs,  satisfactory 
to  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  being  adduced  in  support  of 
the  accusation,  numbers  perished  at  the  stake,  leaving  a 
clear  field  for  the  operations  of  the  impostor. 

Tecumseh,  meanwhile,  was  not  idle.  It  is  said  that  the 
noted  Seneca  chief,  Red-Jacket,  first  counselled  him  to  set 
about  the  work  to  which  he  devoted  his  life,  holding  out 
to  him  the  tempting  prospect  of  a  recovery  of  the  rich 
and  extensive  valley  of  the  Mississippi  from  the  posses 
sion  of  the  whites.  Whatever  originated  the  idea  in  his 
mind,  he  lent  all  the  powerful  energy  of  his  character  to 
its  accomplishment.  The  tribes  concerned  in  the  proposed 
outbreak  were  mostly  the  same  that  had  in  earlier  times 
been  aroused  by  Pontiac,  and  had  again  united,  under 
Michikinaqua,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
The  undertaking  of  Tecumseh  and  his  brother  was  not  of 
easy  or  speedy  accomplishment,  but  their  unwearied  efforts 
and  high  natural  endowments  gradually  gave  them  both 
an  unprecedented  ascendency  over  the  minds  of  the  Indians. 
In  1807,  the  new  movement  among  the  Western  Indians 
called  for  attention  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and 
General,  then  Governor,  Harrison  despatched  a  message  of 
warning  and  reproach  to  the  leading  men  of  the  Shawa- 
nee  tribe.  The  Prophet  dictated,  in  reply,  a  letter,  in  which 
he  denied  the  charges  circulated  against  him,  and  stren 
uously  asserted  that  nothing  was  farther  from  his  thoughts 
than  any  design  of  creating  a  disturbance.  In  the  sum 
mer  of  the  following  year  this  subtle  intriguer  established 
himself  on  the  Tippecanoe  river,  a  tributary  of  the  Wa- 
bash,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state  of  Indiana. 


rn 


r-ic. 


I  t>  k  />  A H 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,    ETC.  417 

From  this  place,  where  he  lived  surrounded  by  a  crowd 
of  admiring  followers,  the  Prophet  proceeded  shortly  after 
to  Vincennes,  and  spent  some  time  in  communication  with 
Governor  Harrison,  for  the  purpose  of  disarming  suspicion. 
He  continually  insisted  that  the  whole  object  of  his  preach 
ing  to  the  Indians  was  to  persuade  them  to  relinquish  their 
vices,  and  lead  sober  and  peaceable  lives  ;  and  to  this  effect 
he  often  exhorted  his  people  in  the  presence  of  the  United 
States'  government  officials. 

In  September,  of  1809,  while  Tecumseh  was  pushing 
his  intrigues  among  various  distant  tribes,  Governor  Har 
rison  obtained  a  cession,  for  certain  stipulated  annuities, 
of  a  large  tract  of  land  on  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Wabash,  from  the  tribes  of  the  Miamis,  Delawares,  Potta- 
watomies,  and  Kickapoos.  On  Tecumseh 's  return  in  the 
following  year,  he,  with  his  brother,  made  vehement  re 
monstrances  against  this  proceeding,  and  a  somewhat 
stormy  interview  took  place  between  the  great  chief  and 
Governor  Harrison,  each  party  being  attended  by  a  pow 
erful  armed  force.  Upon  this  occasion,  Tecumseh  first 
openly  avowed  his  design  of  forming  an  universal  coali 
tion  of  the  Indian  nations,  by  which  the  progress  of  the 
whites  westward  should  be  arrested,  but  he  still  insisted 
that  it  was  not  his  intention  to  make  war.  One  great 
principle  which  he  endeavored  to  enforce  was  that  no  In 
dian  lands  should  be  sold,  except  by  consent  of  all  the  con 
federate  tribes.  Two  days  after  this  conference  he  started 
for  the  south,  with  a  few  attendant  warriors,  to  spread  dis 
affection  among  the  Creeks,  Cherokees,  and  other  tribes  of 
the  southern  states. 

In  the  following  year,  (1811,)  during  the  prolonged 
absence  of  Tecumseh,  and  contrary,  as  is  supposed,  to  his 
express  instructions,  bold  and  audacious  depredations  and 
murders  were  committed  by  the  horde  of  savages  gathered 
at  the  Prophet's  town.  Representations  were  forwarded 


418  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

to  Washington  of  the  necessity  for  active  measures  in  re 
straint  of  these  outrages,  and  a  regiment,  under  Colonel 
Boyd,  was  promptly  marched  from  Pittsburg  to  Vincennes, 
and  placed  under  the  command  of  Harrison.  With  this 
force,  and  a  body  of  militia  and  volunteers,  the  whole 
amounting  to  about  nine  hundred  men,  the  governor 
marched  from  Fort  Harrison,  on  the  Wabash,  for  the 
Prophet's  town,  on  the  £8th  of  October.  He  had  previ 
ously  made  various  attempts,  through  the  intervention  of 
some  friendly  Delaware  and  Miami  chiefs,  to  bring  about 
a  negotiation,  a  restoration  of  the  stolen  property,  and  a 
delivery  up  of  the  murderers ;  but  his  emissaries  were 
treated  with  contempt,  and  his  proposals  spurned. 

The  march  was  conducted  with  the  greatest  military 
skill.  A  feint  was  made  of  taking  up  the  line  of  march 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  river ;  after  which,  the  whole 
army  crossed  the  stream,  and  hastened  towards  the  hostile 
settlement  through  the  extensive  prairies,  stretching  farther 
than  the  eye  could  reach  towards  the  west.  On  the  5th 
of  November,  having  met  with  no  opposition  on  the  route, 
Harrison  encamped  within  nine  miles  of  the  Prophet's 
town.  Approaching  the  town  on  the  ensuing  day,  various 
futile  attempts  were  made  to  open  a  conference.  Menaces 
and  insults  were  the  only  reply  to  these  overtures.  Before 
the  troops  reached  the  town,  however,  messengers  from 
Elskwatawa  came  forward,  proposing  a  truce,  and  the  ar 
rangement  for  a  conference  upon  the  following  day.  The 
chief  averred  that  he  had  sent  a  pacific  embassy  to  the  gov 
ernor,  but  that  those  charged  with  the  mission  had  gone 
down  the  river  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  thus  missed  him. 
Harrison  assented  to  a  cessation  of  hostilities  until  the  next 
day,  but  took  wise  precautions  for  security  against  a  treach 
erous  night  attack. 

The  suspicions  of  the  prudent  general  proved  to  be  well- 
founded.  The  darkness  of  the  night  favored  the  designs 


THE    DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,    ETC. 


419 


of  the  Indians,  and,  before  day-break,  about  four  o'clock, 
the  alarm  of  an  attack  was  given.  In  the  words  of  one  of 
Harrison's  biographers  :  "  The  treacherous  Indians  had 
stealthily  crept  up  near  our  sentries,  with  the  intention  of 
rushing  upon  them  and  killing  them  before  they  could 
give  the  alarm.  But  fortunately  one  of  the  sentries  dis 
covered  an  Indian  creeping  towards  him  through  the  grass, 
and  fired  at  him.  This  was  immediately  followed  by  the 
Indian  yell,  and  a  furious  charge  upon  the  left  flank." 

The  onset  of  the  Indians,  stimulated  as  they  were  by 
the  assurances  of  their  prophet,  that  certain  success  awaited 
them,  was  unprecedented  for  fury  arid  determination. 
They  numbered  from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand,  and 
were  led  by  White  Loon,  Stone-Eater,  and  a  treacherous 
Pottawatomie  chief  named  Winnemac.  The  Prophet  took, 
personally,  no  share  in  the  engagement.  The  struggle 
continued  until  day-light,  when  the  assailants  were  driven 
off  and  dispersed.  Great  praise  has  been  deservedly 
awarded  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  whites  for  his 
steady  courage  and  generalship  during  the  trying  scenes 
of  this  night's  encounter.  The  troops,  although  no  small 
number  of  them  were  now,  for  the  first  time,  in  active 
service,  displayed  great  firmness  and  bravery.  The  In 
dians  immediately  abandoned  their  town,  which  the  army 
proceeded  to  destroy,  tearing  down  the  fortifications  and 
burning  the  buildings.  The  object  of  the  expedition  being 
thus  folly  accomplished,  the  troops  were  marched  back  to 
Vincennes. 

In  the  battle  at  Tippecanoe,  the  loss  of  the  victors  was 
probably  greater  than  that  of  the  savages.  Thirty-eight 
of  the  latter  were  left  dead  upon  the  field  :  of  the  whites, 
fifty  were  killed,  and  nearly  one  hundred  wounded.  It 
is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  Prophet's  influence  main 
tained  its  former  hold  upon  his  followers  after  this  defeat. 
He  takes,  indeed,  from  this  time  forward,  a  place  in  his- 


420 


INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 


tory  entirely  subordinate  to  his  warlike  and  powerful 
brother. 

An  interval  of  comparative  quiet  succeeded  this  over 
throw  of  the  Prophet's  concentrated  forces,  a  quiet  des 
tined  to  be  broken  by  a  far  more  extensive  and  disastrous 
war.  When  open  hostilities  commenced  between  England 
and  the  United  States,  in  1812,  it  was  at  once  evident  that 
the  former  country  had  pursued  her  old  policy  of  rousing 
up  the  savages  to  ravage  our  defenceless  frontier,  with  un 
precedented  success.  Tecumseh  proved  a  more  valuable 
coadjutor,  if  possible,  than  Brant  had  been  during  the 
Revolution,  in  uniting  the  different  nations  against  the 
American  interests.  ^ 

To  particularize  the  part  taken  by  this  great  warrior 
and  statesman  in  the  war,  would  involve  too  prolonged  a 
description  of  the  various  incidents  of  the  -western  cam 
paigns.  By  counsel  and  persuasion ;  by  courage  in  battle ; 
and  by  the  energy  of  a  powerful  mind  devoted  to  the 
cause  he  had  espoused,  he  continued  until  his  death  to  aid 
his  English  allies.  A  strong  British  fortress  at  Maiden, 
on  the  eastern  or  Canada  shore  of  Detroit  river,  proved  a 
rendezvous  for  the  hostile  Indians,  of  the  utmost  danger  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  north-western  frontier.  The  place 
was  under  the  command  of  the  British  General  Proctor ; 
the  officer  whose  infamous  neglect  or  countenance  led  to 
the  massacre  of  a  body  of  wounded  prisoners  at  French- 
town,  on  the  river  Raisin,  in  January,  1813.  This*  post 
was  abandoned  by  the  British  and  Indians,  about  the  time 
of  the  invasion  of  Canada,  in  September,  of  the  above  year, 
by  the  American  troops  under  Harrison.  The  invading 
army  encamped  at  the  deserted  and  dismantled  fortress, 
"from  which  had  issued,  for  years  past,  those  ruthless 
bands  of  savages,  which  had  swept  so  fiercely  over  our 
extended  frontier,  leaving  death  and  destruction  only  in 
their  path." 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEES,    ETC.  421 

General  Harrison  hastened  in  pursuit  of  tne  enemy  up 
the  Thames  river,  and,  on  the  4th  of  October,  encamped  a 
few  miles  above  the  forks  of  the  river,  and  erected  a  slight 
fortification.  On  the  5th,  the  memorable  battle  of  the 
Thames  was  fought.  General  Proctor  awaited  the  ap 
proach  of  the  American  forces  at  a  place  chosen  by  him 
self,  near  Moravian  town,  as  presenting  a  favorable  position 
for  a  stand.  His  forces,  in  regulars  and  Indians,  rather 
outnumbered  those  of  his  opponents,  being  set  down  at 
two  thousand  eight  hundred ;  the  Americans  numbered 
twenty -five  hundred,  mostly  militia  and  volunteers.  The 
British  army  "  was  flanked,  on  the  left,  by  the  river  Thames, 
and  supported  by  artillery,  and  on  the  right  by  two  exten 
sive  swamps,  running  nearly  parallel  to  the  river,  and  oc 
cupied  by  a  strong  body  of  Indians.  *  The  Indians 
were  commanded  by  Tecumseh  in  person." 

The  British  line  was  broken  by  the  first  charge  of  Colonel 
Johnson's  mounted  regiment,  and  being  thrown  into  irre 
trievable  disorder,  the  troops  were  unable  to  rally,  or  op 
pose  any  further  effective  resistance.  Nearly  the  whole 
army  surrendered  at  discretion.  Proctor,  with  a  few  com 
panions,  effected  his  escape.  The  Indians,  protected  by 
the  covert  where  they  were  posted,  were  not  so  easily  dis 
lodged.  They  maintained  their  position  until  after  the 
defeat  of  their  English  associates  and  the  death  of  their 
brave  leader.  By  whose  hand  Tecumseh  fell,  does  not 
appear  to  be  decisively  settled ;  but,  according  to  the  or 
dinarily  received  account,  he  was  rushing  upon  Colonel 
Johnson  with  his  tomahawk,  when  the  latter  shot  him  dead 
with  a  pistol. 

This  Battle  was,  in  effect,  the  conclusion  of  the  north 
western  Indian  war.  Deputations  from  various  tribes 
appeared  suing  for  peace ;  and  during  this  and  the  en 
suing  year,  when  Generals  Harrison  and  Cass,  with  Gov 
ernor  Shelby,  were  appointed  commissioners  to  treat 


422  INDIAN   KACES    OF   AMERICA. 

with    the   North-western    tribes,    important    treaties    were 
effected. 

Tecumseh  was  buried  near  the  field  of  battle,  and  a 
mound  still  marks  his  grave.  The  British  government, 
not  unmindful  of  his  services,  granted  a  pension  to  his 
widow  and  family,  as  well  as  to  the  Prophet  Elskwatawa. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

ACQUISITION  AND  SALE,  BY  THE  UNITED  STATES,  OF  INDIAN  LANDS 
IN  ILLINOIS.— BLACK  HAWK.  — THE  SACS  REMOVED  WEST  OF  THE 
MISSISSIPPI. —RETURN  OF  BLACK  HAWK  AND  HIS  FOLLOWERS.-^ 
DEFEAT  OF  MAJOR  STILLMAN.  —  THE  HOSTILE  INDIANS  PURSUED 
BY  ATKINSON  AND  DODGE.  — THEIR  DEFEAT  ON  THE  BANK  OF  THE 
MISSISSIPPI.  —  BLACK -HAWK'S  SURRENDER.  — HE  IS  TAKEN  TO  WASH 
INGTON.— HIS  SUBSEQUENT  CAREER. 

WITH  the  rapid  increase  of  a  white  population  between 
the  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi,  which  followed  the  con 
clusion  of  hostilities  with  England  and  her  Indian  allies, 
new  difficulties  began  to  arise  between  the  natives  and 
the  settlers.  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  were  inhabited  by 
various  tribes  of  Indians,  upon  terms  of  bitter  hostility 
among  themselves,  but  united  in  their  suspicions  and  ap 
prehensions  at  the  unprecedented  inroads  of  emigrants 
from  the  east. 

The  Winnebagos,  dwelling  in  Wisconsin  ;  the  Pottawat- 
omies,  situated  around  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake 
Michigan;  and  the  Sacs,  (afterwards  mingled  with  the 
Foxes,  and  usually  coupled  with  that  tribe,)  of  Illinois, 
principally  located  upon  Rock  river,  were  the  most  con 
siderable  of  these  north-western  tribes.  By  various  ces 
sions,  the  United  States  acquired,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
present  century,  a  title  to  extensive  tracts  of  country,  lying 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  included  in  the  present  state  of 


BLACK  HAWK. 


THE    DELAWARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  425 

Illinois.  The  tribes  who  sold  the  land  were  divided  in 
opinion ;  great  numbers  of  the  occupants  of  the  soil  were 
utterly  opposed  to  its  alienation,  and  denied  the  authority 
of  the  chiefs,  by  whose  negotiation  the  sales  or  cessions 
were  effected ;  and  upon  the  parcelling  out  and  the  sale 
by  the  United  States  government  of  this  public  property 
to  private  individuals,  conflicting  claims  soon  led  to  serious 
disturbances. 

In  July,  of  1830,  a  treaty  was  formed  at  Prairie  du 
Chien,  between  United  States  commissioners  and  the  tribes 
of  the  lowas,  Sioux,  Omawhas,  Sacs  and  Foxes,  &c.,  for  the 
purpose  of  finally  arranging  the  terms  upon  which  the 
lands  east  of  the  Mississippi  should  be  yielded  up.  The 
Sac  chief,  Keokuk,  was  present,  and  assenting  to  the  ar 
rangement  in  behalf  of  his  people ;  but  a  strong  party, 
headed  by  the  celebrated  Black-Hawk,  utterly  refused  to 
abide  by  it.  This  chief  was  then  between  sixty  and  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  had  been,  from  early  youth,  a  noted  war 
rior.  He  was  born  at  some  Indian  settlement  upon  the 
Rock  river,  and  retained  through  life  a  strong  attachment 
to  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  the  stream  upon  whose  banks 
he  so  long  resided.  He  was  a  Pottawatomie,  but  his  whole 
life  was  spent  among  the  Sacs. 

To  enforce  the  removal  of  the  Sacs  from  their  villages, 
011  Hock  river,  General  Gaines  visited  that  locality  in 
June,  1831.  He  proceeded  up  the  river  in  a  steamer,  with 
several  pieces  of  artillery  and  two  companies  of  infantry. 
The  general  spoke  of  his  visit  as  follows  :  "  Their  village 
is  immediately  on  Rock  river,  and  so  situated  that  I  could, 
from  the  steamboat,  destroy  all  their  bark  houses,  (the 
only  kind  of  houses  they  have,)  in  a  few  minutes,  with  the 
force  now  with  me,  probably  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 
But  I  am  resolved  to  abstain  from  firing  a  shot  without 
some  bloodshed,  or  some  manifest  attempt  to  shed  blood, 
on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  I  have  already  induced  nearly 


426  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

one-third  of  them  to  cross  the  Mississippi  to  their  own  land. 
The  residue,  however,  say,  as  the  friendly  chiefs  report, 
that  they  never  will  move ;  and,  what  is  very  uncommon, 
the  women  urge  their  hostile  husbands  to  fight  rather  than 
to  move,  and  thus  abandon  their  homes." 

Before  the  close  of  the  month  the  forces  of  the  United 
States  and  the  state  militia  took  possession  of  the  settlement. 
The  Indians  made  no  attempt  at  resistance,  and  betook 
themselves  to  the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  In  the 
spring  of  the  following  year,  the  Sacs  began  to  straggle 
back  to  their  old  towns  in  Illinois ;  and  Black-Hawk,  with 
a  considerable  force  of  his  warriors,  marched  up  Rock 
river,  with  the  avowed  intent  of  spending  the  summer,  and 
raising  a  supply  of  corn  among  the  Pottawatomies,  in 
accordance  with  an  invitation  from  that  tribe.  He  pro 
ceeded  quietly  and  peaceably  up  the  river,  offering  no  vio 
lence  to  either  the  persons  or  property  of  the  white  inhabit 
ants.  A  body  of  mounted  militia,  under  Major  Stillman, 
set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians  about  the  middle  of  May. 
On  their  approach  to  his  temporary  quarters,  Black-Hawk 
sent  a  number  of  his  followers  to  meet  and  confer  with  the 
commanding  officer;  but  it  so  happened,  either  through 
mistake  as  to  their  intentions,  or  from  a  reckless  depravity 
on  the  part  of  certain  of  the  whites,  that  several  of  these 
emissaries  were  killed. 

Roused  by  this  injurious  treatment,  the  Indian  chief  pre 
pared  to  fall  upon  his  pursuers  at  a  point  where  an  ambus 
cade  could  be  rendered  most  effective.  It  is  said  that 
when  the  militia  came  up,  he  had  but  about  forty  warriors 
with  him,  (the  rest  of  his  men  being  off  in  pursuit  of  game,) 
while  the  whites  numbered  no  less  than  two  hundred  and 
seventy !  As  these  undisciplined  troops  were  crossing 
Sycamore  creek,  in  entire  disorder,  and  without  any  pre 
caution  against  a  surprise,  they  were  fiercely  attacked  by 
the  Indians.  The  rout  was  complete  :  unable  to  form,  or 


THE   DELAWARES,    SHAWANEE3,   ETC.  427 

to  offer  any  effectual  resistance,  the  whites  were  driven  off, 
leaving  eleven  of  their  number  dead  upon  the  field.  As 
they  again  rendezvoused  at  Dixon's  Ferry,  thirty  miles 
below,  they  gave  the  most  extravagant  accounts  of  the  num 
bers  of  the  enemy. 

Great  excitement  was  produced  by  the  skirmish,  and  a 
large  army  of  militia  was  called  into  service  by  Governor 
Reynolds,  and  ordered  to  meet  by  the  10th  of  June,  at 
Hennepin,  in  Putnam  county,  011  the  Illinois.  Agents 
were  sent  to  confirm  the  good  will  of  the  Winnebagos, 
and  other  tribes,  and  the  services  of  several  hundred  of  the 
Menomonies  and  Sioux  were  enlisted  against  the  dangerous 
intruders. 

Black-Hawk  and  his  party,  feeling  themselves  now  fully 
committed,  were  not  slow  in  following  up  the  advantage 
gained  by  the  terror  inspired  by  the  engagement  at  Syca 
more  Creek. 

Between  the  breaking  out  of  the  wur  and  the  beginning 
of  the  month  of  August  the  Indians  committed  many  mur 
ders,  and  various  skirmishes  took  place  between  them  and 
the  troops  sent  in  pursuit.  On  the  20th  of  May,  a  little 
settlement  on  Indian  Creek  was  plundered.  Fifteen  of  the 
inhabitants  were  killed,  and  two  young  girls,  by  the  name 
of  Hall,  one  sixteen  and  the  other  eighteen  years  of  age, 
were  carried  into  captivity.  According  to  the  almost  uni 
versal  custom  of  the  North  American  Indians,  these  female 
prisoners  were  not  exposed  to  the  slightest  insult  or  out 
rage,  but  were  as  well  cared  for  as  circumstances  would 
allow.  They  were  afterwards  ransomed,  at  a  large  price, 
and  returned  to  their  friends. 

Little  mercy  was  shown  to  any  of  Black-Hawk's  follow 
ers  upon  any  occasion  of  success  on  the  part  of  the  whites. 
Five  persons  were  killed  near  Galena  on  the  14th  of  June, 
and,  shortly  after,  twelve  Indians,  supposed  to  be  connected 
with  the  attacking  party,  were  pursued  and  driven  into  a 


428  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

neighboring  swamp.  When  overtaken,  although  they 
made  no  resistance,  they  were  every  one  killed  and  scalped 
by  the  whites. 

The  condition  of  Black-Hawk  and  his  band  grew  daily 
more  miserable,  from  destitution,  exposure,  and  starvation. 
An  end  would  speedily  have  been  put  to  their  operations, 
but  for  that  terrible  disease,  the  cholera,  by  which  the 
United  States  troops,  on  their  route  from  the  east  to  the 
scene  of  action,  were  almost  wholly  disabled. 

Driven  from  this  encampment  at  the  Four  Lakes  by  the 
approach  of  General  Atkinson,  Black-Hawk  retreated 
down  the  Wisconsin,  expecting  to  find  provisions  and  as 
sistance  among  the  Indians  in  that  direction.  General 
Dodge,  with  a  strong  force  of  militia,  followed  close  on  his 
trail.  He  came  up  with  the  fugitives  on  the  21st  of  July. 
The  Indians  were  about  crossing  the  river  when  they  were 
attacked,  and,  but  for  the  coming  on  of  night,  could  hardly 
have  escaped  entire  destruction  or  capture.  They  lost  in 
the  encounter  not  far  from  forty  men. 

The  discomfited  savages  continued  their  flight  down 
the  river  in  their  boats,  beset  on  every  side  by  enemies, 
and  with  an  overwhelming  force  —  Dodge's  army  having 
been  joined  by  Atkinson  and  his  troops  in  hot  pursuit. 
"  Some  of  the  boats,"  says  Drake,  "  conveying  these  poor 
wretches,  were  overset,  and  many  of  those  in  them  drowned  ; 
the  greater  number,  however,  fell  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies  in  their  passage.  Many  of  the  children  were 
found  to  be  in  such  a  famished  state  that  they  could  not 
be  revived." 

Having  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river,  on  the  first  of 
August,  Black-Hawk  prepared  to  cross  the  Mississippi,  but 
was  prevented  by  a  force  on  board  the  steamboat  Warrior. 
He  "  did  not  wish  to  fight,  but  to  escape ;  and  when  the 
steamboat  fell  in  with  him,  he  used  every  means  to  give 
the  captain  of  her  to  understand  that  he  desired  to  surren- 


THE   DELA WARES,   SHAWANEES,   ETC.  429 

der.  He  displayed  two  white  flags,  and  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  his  men  approached  the  river  without  arms, 
and  made  signs  of  submission."  The  only  reply  was  a 
discharge  of  canister  and  musketry  from  the  boat,  which 
was  returned  from  the  shore.  After  about  an  hour's 
firing,  which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  more  than 
twenty  of  the  Indians,  the  boat  moved  off  to  procure  a 
supply  of  wood. 

Next  morning  General  Atkinson,  with  the  whole  force 
in  pursuit,  (sixteen  hundred  men)  came  up  with  the  rem 
nant  of  the  enemy.  Retreat  was  cut  off  on  every  side, 
and  the  half-starved  and  dispirited  savages  were  shot  and 
cut  down  at  the  pleasure  of  the  irresistible  numbers  who 
surrounded  them.  The  following  is  extracted  from  an 
account  published  shortly  after  this  decisive  and  final  en 
gagement.  "The  battle  lasted  upwards  of  three  hours. 
About  fifty  of  the  enemy's  women  and  children  were  taken 
prisoners,  and  many,  by  accident,  in  the  battle,  were 
killed.  When  the  Indians  were  driven  to  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  some  hundreds  of  men,  women,  and  children 
plunged  into  the  river,  and  hoped,  by  diving,  &c.,  to  escape 
the  bullets  of  our  guns;  very  few,  however,  escaped  our 
sharp-shooters." 

Historians  generally  speak  of  an  action  in  which  the 
Indians  prove  successful  as  a  tf  massacre,"  but  the  above- 
described  proceeding  is  dignified  by  the  name  of  a  battle  ! 
Black-Hawk,  who,  with  a  few  followers,  managed  to  effect 
his  escape,  afterwards  declared  that,  upon  the  approach 
of  the  American  army,  he  and  his  warriors  made  no 
attempt  at  resistance,  offering  to  surrender  themselves  un 
conditionally,  and  that  they  only  used  their  arms  when  it 
was  apparent  that  the  successful  pursuers  had  no  intention 
of  showing  quarter.  It  is  hard  to  decide  upon  the  true 
state  of  the  case. 

His  cause  now  being  palpably  hopeless,  and  most  of  his 


430  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

remaining  warriors  having  yielded  themselves  prisoners, 
or  been  taken  by  the  various  bands  of  Indians  friendly  to 
the  whites,  Black-Hawk  surrendered  himself  at  Prairie  du 
Chien,  on  the  27th  of  August.  With  several  other  chiefs 
he  was  taken  to  Washington,  and  after  holding  conference 
with  President  Jackson,  was  confined,  for  a  period,  at  Fort 
Monroe,  on  an  island  near  Old  Point  Comfort,  on  the  Chesa 
peake.  Here  the  captive  warriors  were  well  and  kindly 
treated,  and  in  June,  of  the  ensuing  year  (1833),  there 
being  no  longer  any  necessity  for  detaining,  them  as  host 
ages,  they  were  set  at  liberty. 

Before  returning  to  the  west,  these  chiefs  visited  several 
of  the  principal  eastern  cities,  and  were  every  where  re 
ceived  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  and  interest.  They 
were  shown  the  fortifications,  navy  yards,  &c.,  and  every 
effort  was  made  to  impress  them  with  the  irresistible  power 
of  the  government.  They  were  afterwards  escorted  back 
to  their  homes  at  the  west,  and  dismissed  with  valuable 
presents  and  tokens  of  good  will. 

Black-Hawk  lived  thenceforth  in  peace  with  the  whites. 
He  settled  upon  the  Des  Moines  river,  where  he  died  in 
1838.  The  body  of  the  old  warrior,  in  accordance  with  his 
own  wishes,  expressed  shortly  before  his  death,  was  dis 
posed  in  Indian  style.  According  to  Drake  :  "  No  grave 
was  made  ;  but  his  body  was  placed  in  a  sitting  position, 
with  his  cane  between  his  knees  and  grasped  in  his  hands ; 
slabs  or  rails  were  then  piled  up  about  him.  Such  was  the 
end  of  Black-Hawk.  Here,  however,  his  bones  did  not 
long  rest  in  peace,  but  they  were  stolen  from  their  place  of 
deposit  some  time  in  the  following  winter  ;  but  about  a  year 
after,  it  was  discovered  that  they  were  in  possession  of  a 
surgeon,  of  Quincy,  Illinois,  to  whom  some  person  had  sent 
them  to  be  wired  together.  When  Governor  Lucas,  of 
Iowa,  became  acquainted  with  the  facts,  they  were,  by  his 
requisition,  restored  to  his  friends." 


INDIANS  OF    THE  SOUTHERN  STATES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EARLY  LOCATION,  NUMBERS,  CHARACTER,  ETC.,  OF  THE  CATAWBAS  ; 
OF  THE  UPPER  AND  LOWER  CHEROKEES;  OF  THE  MUSCOGEES  OR 
CREEKS;  OF  THE  CHOCTAWS  ;  OF  THE  CHICKASAWS.  — FRENCH 
WAR  WITH  THE  NATCHEZ  AND  CHICKASAWS. 

WE  shall  not  undertake  to  assign  definite  boundaries  to 
the  several  tracts  of  country  occupied  by  the  extensive  tribes 
of  the  Creeks,  Cherokees,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  Catawbas, 
Uchees,  &c.,  nor  to  pursue  their  history,  separately.  There 
are  no  sufficient  distinctions  in  their  general  habits  and 
character  to  render  such  a  detail  necessary,  and  as  they 
were  nearly  all  more  or  less  affected  by  the  same  political 
events  and  changes,  they  can  be  best  considered  collec 
tively.  The  name  of  Creeks,  (an  English  term,  taken 
from  the  character  of  the  country  they  inhabited,)  has  been 
applied  to  all  the  tribes  above  mentioned. 

James  Adair,  a  trader  and  resident  among  the  Southern 
Indians  for  forty  years,  in  his  History  of  the  American 
Indians,  published  in  1775,  gives  the  most  complete  ac 
count  of  these  races  to  be  found  in  the  early  writers.  The 
principal  portion  of  his  book  is  devoted  to  a  labored  dis 
quisition  upon  the  origin  of  the  red  men,  and  arguments 
to  prove  their  descent  from  the  Jews  :  the  rest  consists  of 
separate  details  of  the  manners  and  history  of  the  southern 
tribes,  with  observations  and  anecdotes  connected  with  the 
race  in  general. 

(431) 


432  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

He  commences  with  the  Catawbas,  who  then  dwelt  be 
tween  the  Carolinas  and  the  country  of  the  Cherokees. 
By  intercourse  with  the  whites,  they  had  become  more 
degraded  than  the  other  nations  of  which  we  are  now  to 
speak,  and  drunkenness,  indolence,  and  poverty  were  ob 
viously  prevalent.  They  were  a  numerous  and  warlike 
people  when  South  Carolina  was  first  settled,  mustering 
about  fifteen  hundred  warriors  ;  but  small-pox  and  the  use 
of  ardent  spirits  had,  at  this  time,  reduced  them  to  less 
than  one-tenth  of  their  former  numbers. 

They  were  old  enemies  of  the  Iroquois,  with  whom  they 
had  waged  long  and  savage  wars  :  with  the  English  they 
had  generally  been  upon  good  terms.  Adair  describes  an 
old  waste  field,  seven  miles  in  extent,  as  one  of  the  evi 
dences  of  their  former  prosperity,  when  they  could  "cul 
tivate  so  much  land  with  their  dull  stone-axes."  Of  these, 
as  of  other  Indians,  he  says :  "  By  some  fatality  they  are 
much  addicted  to  excessive  drinking ;  and  spirituous  li 
quors  distract  them  so  exceedingly,  that  they  will  even  eat 
live  coals  of  fire." 

The  Upper  Cherokees  inhabited  the  high  and  mountain 
ous  region  of  the  Appalachian  range,  and  that  upon  the 
upper  portions  of  the  Tennessee.  The  Lower  tribe  occu 
pied  the  country  around  the  head  waters  of  the  Savannah 
and  Chatahoochee,  to  the  northward  of  the  Muscogees  or 
Creeks  proper.  When  Adair  first  became  acquainted  with 
the  Cherokees,  about  the  year  1735,  they  were  computed 
by  old  traders  to  number  six  thousand  fighting  men.  They 
had  sixty-four  populous  towns.  In  1788,  nearly  half  of 
them  perished  by  the  small-pox. 

Like  all  the  other  untaught  nations  of  America,  they 
were  driven  to  perfect  desperation  by  the  ravages  of  this 
disease.  The  cause  to  which  they  ascribed  it,  and  the 
strange  remedies  and  enchantments  used  to  stay  its  prog 
ress,  are  alike  remarkable.  One  course  was  to  plunge  the 


INDIANS    OF   THE    SOUTHERN   STATES.  433 

patients  into  cold  running  water  —  (it  is  elsewhere  men 
tioned  that  those  afflicted  will  frequently  leap  into  the 
river  themselves  to  allay  the  fever  and  torment)  —  the  re 
sult  of  which  operation  was  speedily  fatal.  "A  great 
many  killed  themselves  ;  for,  being  naturally  proud,  they 
are  always  peeping  into  their  looking-glasses.  —  By  which 
means,  seeing  themselves  disfigured,  without  hope  of  re 
gaining  their  former  beauty,  some  shot  themselves,  others 
cut  their  throats,  some  stabbed  themselves  with  knives,  and 
others  with  sharp-pointed  canes  ;  many  threw  themselves 
with  sullen  madness  into  the  fire,  and  there  slowly  ex 
pired,  as  if  they  had  been  utterly  divested  of  the  native 
power  of  feeling  pain."  One  of  them,  when  his  friends 
had  restrained  these  frantic  efforts,  and  deprived  him  of 
his  weapons,  went  out,  and  taking  "  a  thick  and  round  hoe- 
helve,  fixed  one  end  of  it  in  the  ground,  and  repeatedly 
threw  himself  on  it  till  he  forced  it  down  his  throat !  when 
he  immediately  expired." 

These  tribes  were  formerly  continually  at  war  with  the 
Six  Nations,  at  the  north,  and  with  the  Muscogees  at  the 
south  ;  but  previous  to  their  war  with  the  English  colonies 
they  had  been  for  some  time  comparatively  at  peace,  and 
were  in  a  thriving  and  prosperous  condition.  They  were 
excellently  well  supplied  with  horses,  and  were  "  skilful 
jockies,  and  nice  in  their  choice." 

The  lower  settlement  of  the  Muscogees  or  Creeks,  was 
in  the  country  watered  by  the  Chatahoochee  and  Flint ; 
the  upper  Creeks  dwelt  about  the  head  waters  of  the 
Mobile  and  Alabama  rivers.  Their  neighbors,  on  the  west, 
were  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws. 

The  Creeks  were  a  nation  formed  by  the  union  of  a 
number  of  minor  tribes  with  the  Muscogees,  who  consti 
tuted  the  nucleus  of  the  combination.  About  the  middle 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  they  were  computed  to  number 
no  less  than  three  thousand  five  hundred  men  capable  of 
25 


434  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

bearing  arms.  They  had  learned  the  necessity  of  seclud 
ing  those  infected  with  the  small-pox,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
spread  of  the  contagion,  and  their  general  habits  and 
usages  were  such  that  they  were  fast  increasing,  instead  of 
diminishing,  like  all  the  surrounding  tribes. 

While  the  Floridas  were  in  the  possession  of  Spain,  the 
Creeks  were  surrounded  by  belligerent  powers,  both  native 
and  European,  and  they  appear  to  have  adopted  a  very 
shrewd  and  artful  policy  in  their  intercourse  with  each. 
There  was  a  French  garrison  in  their  country  ;  the  English 
settlements  lay  to  the  north  and  east,  and  those  of  the 
Spaniards  to  the  south  ;  and  the  old  sages  of  the  tribe 
"  being  long  informed  by  the  opposite  parties  of  the  dif 
ferent  views  and  intrigues  of  those  foreign  powers,  who 
paid  them  annual  tribute  under  the  vague  appellation  of 
presents,  were  become  surprisingly  crafty  in  every  turn  of 
low  politics."  The  French  were  very  successful  in  their 
efforts  to  conciliate  the  good-will  of  the  Muscogees,  and  in 
alienating  them  from  the  English. 

The  country  of  the  Choctaws  extended  from  that  of  the 
Muscogees  to  the  Mississippi,  reaching  northward  to  the 
boundaries  of  the  Chickasaws  :  their  lower  towns  on  the 
river  were  about  two  hundred  miles  north  of  New  Orleans. 
Adair  gives  these  people  a  very  bad  character,  as  being 
treacherous,  dishonest,  ungrateful,  and  unscrupulous  ;  but 
he  bears  witness  to  their  admirable  readiness  of  speech. 
They  were  "ready-witted,  and  endued  with  a  surprising 
flow  of  smooth,  artful  language  on  every  subject  within  the 
reach  of  their  ideas." 

The  strange  custom  of  flattening  the  head,  prevalent 
among  some  other  American  tribes,  obtained  with  the 
Choctaws.  The  operation  was  performed  by  the  weight 
of  a  bag  of  sand  kept  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  infants 
before  the  skull  had  hardened.  This  process  not  improb 
ably  affected  the  powers  of  -the  mind :  at  all  events,  Adair 


INDIANS   OP   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  437 

says :  "  their  features  and  mind  exactly  correspond  to 
gether  ;  for,  except  the  intense  love  they  bear  to  their  na 
tive  country,  and  their  utter  contempt  of  any  kind  of 
danger  in  defence  of  it,  I  know  no  other  virtue  they  are 
possessed  of  :  the  general  observation  of  the  traders  among  * 
them  is  just,  who  affirm  them  to  be  divested  of  every  prop 
erty  of  a  human  being,  except  shape  and  language." 

The  French  had  acquired  great  influence  over  the  Choc- 
taws,  as,  indeed,  over  nearly  every  tribe  in  North  Amer 
ica  with  whom  they  had  maintained  friendly  intercourse. 
Adair  enlarges  upon  the  artful  policy  with  which  they  con 
ciliated  and  bribed  the  leaders  and  orators  of  the  nation. 
Besides  this,  he  says  :  "  the  masterly  skill  of  the  French 
enabled  them  to  do  more  with  those  savages,  with  trifles, 
than  all  our  experienced  managers  of  Indian  affairs  have 
been  able  to  effect  by  the  great  quantities  of  valuable 
goods  they  gave  them  with  a  very  profuse  hand.  The 
former  bestowed  their  small  favors  with  exquisite  wisdom  ; 
and  their  value  was  exceedingly  enhanced  by  the  external 
kindly  behavior  and  well-adapted  smooth  address  of  the 
giver." 

The  nation  of  the  Chickasaws,  at  the  time  of  which  we 
are  speaking,  was  settled  near  the  sources  of  the  Tombigbee, 
a  few  miles  eastward  of  the  head  waters  of  the  Tallahache. 
They  numbered  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  but 
were  greatly  reduced  since  their  ancient  emigration  from 
the  west.  They  were  said  to  have  formerly  constituted  one 
family  with  the  Choctaws,  and  to  have  been  able  to  bring 
one  thousand  men  into  the  field  at  the  time  of  their  re 
moval.  Due  allowance  must  of  course  be  made  for  mistake 
and  exaggeration  in  these  early  traditions. 

The  Chickasaws  were  ever  inimical  to  the  French  and 
friendly  to  the  English  colonists.  It  was  by  their  efforts 
that  the  neighboring  tribe  of  the  Natchez  was  stirred  up 
to  attack  the  French  settlements,  in  1729.  The  French 


488  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

had,  unadvisedly,  imposed  a  species  of  tax  upon  the 
Natchez,  demanding  a  dressed  buck-skin  from  each  man  of 
the  tribe,  without  rendering  any  return ;  but,  as  some  of 
that  people  afterwards  reported  to  Adair,  "  the  warriors' 
, hearts  grew  very  cross,  and  loved  the  deer-skins." 

The  Chickasaws  were  not  slow  to  foment  a  disturbance 
upon  intelligence  of  this  proceeding,  and  sent  messengers, 
with  presents  of  pipes  and  tobacco,  to  counsel  an  attack 
upon  the  exercisers  of  such  tyranny.  Nothing  so  strongly 
excites  an  Indian's  indignation  as  any  attempt  at  taxation, 
and  the  Natchez  were  easily  persuaded  that  the  French  had 
resolved  to  crush  and  enslave  them.  It  took  about  a  year  to 
ripen  the  plot,  as  the  Indians  are  "  slow  in  their  councils  on 
things  of  great  importance,  though  equally  close  and  intent." 

It  was  in  the  month  of  November,  (1729,)  that  the  In 
dians  fell  upon  the  French  settlement.  The  commandant 
had  received  some  intimation  of  the  intended  attack  from 
a  woman  of  the  tribe,  but  did  not  place  sufficient  depend 
ence  upon  it  to  take  any  efficient  steps  for  the  protection 
of  his  charge.  The  whole  colony  was  massacred:  men, 
women,  and  children,  to  the  number  of  over  seven  hun 
dred  —  Adair  says  fifteen  hundred  —  perished  by  the  weap 
ons  of  the  savages.  The  triumph  of  the  Natchez  was, 
however,  but  of  short  duration.  The  French  came  upon 
them  in  the  following  summer  with  a  large  army,  consisting 
of  two  thousand  of  their  own  soldiers  and  a  great  array  of 
their  Choctaw  allies.  The  Natchez  were  posted  at  a  strong 
fort  near  a  lake  communicating  with  the  Bayou  D'Argent, 
and  received  the  assailants  with  great  resolution  and  cour 
age.  They  made  a  vigorous  sally,  as  the  enemy  approach 
ed,  but  were  driven  within  their  defences,  and  "  bombarded 
with  three  mortars,  which  forced  them  to  fly  off  different 
ways."  The  Choctaws  took  many  prisoners,  some  of  whom 
were  tortured  to  death,  and  the  rest  shipped  to  the  West 
Indies  as  slaves. 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  4o9 

The  remnant  of  the  Natchez  fled  for  safety  to  the  Chick- 
asaws.  This  brought  about  a  war  between  the  French  and 
the  last-mentioned  tribe,  in  which,  if  we  may  believe  Adair, 
the  Indians  had  decidedly  the  advantage.  He  tells  of 
one  engagement,  in  which  the  French  and  their  Indian 
allies  had  surrounded  the  Chickasaw  settlements  in  the 
night,  with  the  exception  of  one,  which  stood  at  some  dis 
tance  from  the  rest,  called  Amalahta.  The  besiegers  beset 
every  house,  and  killed  all  who  came  out  :  "  but  at  the 
dawn  of  day,  when  they  were  capering  and  using  those 
flourishes  that  are  peculiar  to  that  volatile  nation,  the  other 
town  drew  round  them,  stark  naked,  and  painted  all  over 
red  and  black ;  thus  they  attacked  them,  killed  numbers 
on  the  spot,  released  their  brethren,  who  joined  them  like 
enraged  lions."  The  Indians  belonging  to  the  French 
party  fled,  but  the  whites  were  all  killed  except  two,  "  an 
officer,  and  a  negro,  who  faithfully  held  his  hor-se  till  he 
mounted,  and  then  ran  along  side  of  him.  A  couple  of 
swift  runners  were  sent  after  them,  who  soon  came  up 
with  them,  and  told  them  to  live  and  go  home,  and  inform 
their  people,  that  as  the  Chickasaw  hogs  had  now  a  plenty 
of  ugly  French  carcasses  to  feed  on  till  next  year,  they 
hoped  then  to  have  another  visit  from  them  and  their  red 
friends ;  and  that,  as  messengers,  they  wished  them  safe 
home." 

On  another  occasion,  the  same  historian  informs  us  that 
the  French  approached  the  Chickasaw  stockade,  strangely 
disguised,  and  protected  from  the  balls  of  "the  enemy  by . 
paddings  of  wool.  The  Indians  were  to  the  last  degree 
astonished  both  at  their  appearance  and  invulnerability, 
and  were  about  to  desist  from  active  resistance,  and  resort 
to  the  skill  of  their  own  necromancers  to  oppose  what 
they  thought  must  be  "  wizards,  or  old  Frenchmen  carry 
ing  the  ark  of  war  against  them."  As  the  enemy  ap 
proached,  and  began  to  throw  hand-grenades  into  the  fort, 


440  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

they  were  quickly  undeceived,  and  set  in  earnest  about 
the  work  of  defence.  They  pulled  the  matches  out  of  the 
grenades,  or  threw  them  back  among  the  French  ;  and, 
sallying  forth,  directed  an  effective  fire  at  the  legs  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  speedily  driven  off.  "  I  have  two  of 
these  shells,"  says  Adair,  "  which  I  keep  with  veneration, 
as  speaking  trophies  over  the  boasting  Monsieurs  and 
their  bloody  schemes." 


CHAPTER  II. 

COLONIZATION  OF  GEORGIA.  —  EARLY  INTERCOURSE  WITFI  THE  NA 
TIVES.  —  TOMOCH1CHI.  —  INTRIGUES  OF  THE  REVEREND  THOMAS 
BOSOM  WORTH.  — CHEROKEE  WAR  OF  1759.  — ATTAKTJLLAKULLA  AND 
OCCONOSTOTA.  —  MURDER  OF  INDIAN  HOSTAGES.  —  COLONEL  MONT 
GOMERY'S  EXPEDITION. —  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  EASTERN  CHERO 
KEE  TOWNS.  —  RATTLE  NEAR  ETCHOE. —  CAPITULATION  AT  FORT 
LOUDON.  — INDIAN  TREACHERY. -CAMPAIGN  OF  COLONEL  GRANT, 
AND  COMPLETE  REDUCTION  OF  THE  CHEROKEES. 

WHEN  the  little  colony  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
souls,  under  the  guidance  of  James  Edward  Oglethorpe, 
commenced  the  settlement  of  Georgia,  in  the  winter  of 
1733,  the  upper  and  lower  Creeks  laid  claim  to  the  whole 
territory  south-west  of  the  Savannah.  The  only  natives 
residing  in  the  vicinity  —  at  Yamacraw  —  were  peaceably 
disposed  towards  the  settlers,  but  the  governor  of  the  in 
fant  colony  thought  it  advisable  to  put  himself  upon  safe 
grounds  as  respected  the  Indian  claims.  He  therefore 
secured  the  services  of  a  half-breed  woman,  named  Mary 
Musgrove,  who  could  speak  English,  and,  by  her  media 
tion,  brought  about  a  conference  with  the  chiefs  of  the 
tribe  at  Savannah,  the  seat  of  the  new  settlement. 

Mary  had  formerly  married  a  white  trader  from  Caro- 


INDIANS   OP   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  441 

lina.  Besides  her  usefulness  as  an  interpreter,  she  had 
such  influence  over  her  tribe,  that  Oglethorpe  thought  it 
worth  his  while  to  purchase  her  services  at  the  rate  of  one 
hundred  pounds  a  year.  She  became  afterwards,  as  we 
shall  see,  a  source  of  no  little  danger  and  annoyance  to  the 
English. 

Fifty  chiefs  of  the  Creek  nation  were  assembled  at  the 
place  of  conference,  and  Tomochichi,  the  most  noted 
among  those  then  known  to  the  settlers,  made  an  amicable 
speech,  proffering  at  the  same  time  a  present  of  a  buffalo- 
skin,  adorned  with  eagles'  feathers.  A  treaty  was  con 
cluded,  subject  to  the  ratification  of  the  English  crown, 
by  virtue  of  which  the  Indians  were  to  consider  them 
selves  the  subjects  of  the  king,  and  to  live  in  peace  and 
friendship  with  his  white  colonists.  The  lands  lying  be 
tween  the  Savannah  and  Altamaha,  were  made  over  to 
the  English,  with  all  the  islands  on  that  coast,  except 
St.  Catharine's  and  two  others,  which  were  reserved  for 
the  use  of  the  Indians  as  bathing  and  fishing  stations. 
A  tract  was  also  set  apart  for  them  to  encamp  upon  when 
they  visited  their  white  friends,  a  little  above  the  Yama- 
craw  bluff,  where  Savannah  now  stands.  Various  other 
stipulations,  respecting  terms  of  trade,  the  punishment  of 
offences,  &c.,  were  entered  into,  to  the  satisfaction  of  both 
parties. 

In  April,  1734,  Oglethorpe  took  Tomochichi,  his  queen, 
and  several  other  Indians  with  him  to  England.  They 
were  presented  to  the  king,  and  every  pains  was  taken  to 
produce  a  strong  impression  upon  their  minds  of  the  Eng 
lish  power  and  magnificence.  All  the  Indians  with  whom 
the  first  governor  of  Georgia  held  intercourse  seem  to  have 
formed  a  great  attachment  for  him,  styling  him  their  "  be 
loved  man."  If  others  in  authority  among  the  English 
colonies  had  pursued  as  honest  a  course  towards  the  natives, 
much  bloodshed  would  doubtless  have  been  averted. 


442  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

When  difficulties  arose  in  1738,  connected  with  the  con 
flicting  claims  of  England  and  Spain  to  jurisdiction  over 
the  new  country,  Spanish  agents  were  despatched  to  win 
over  the  Creeks.  They  decoyed  a  body  of  them  to  Au 
gustine,  by  pretences  that  Oglethorpe  was  there,  and  that 
he  was  desirous  of  seeing  them.  On  their  arrival,  the  In 
dians  were  told  that  the  English  governor  was  sick  on 
board  one  of  the  ships  ;  but  they  had  begun  to  suspect 
deception,  and,  refusing  to  go  out  to  the  vessel,  left  the 
town  in  great  disgust.  Their  suspicions  were  confirmed 
when  they  reached  home,  and  the  transaction  only  strength 
ened  their  dislike  to  the  Spaniards. 

In  the  following  year,  Oglethorpe  attended  a  great  as 
sembly  of  Creeks,  Cherokees,  and  Chickasaws,  at  the 
Coweta  town,  several  hundred  miles  from  Frederica,  and 
confirmed  their  good-will  towards  the  English  by  presents, 
and  friendly  communion.  He  smoked  the  calumet  with 
the  chiefs,  and  solemnly  renewed  the  original  treaty  of 
amity  and  mutual  protection.  This  year  old  Tomochichi 
died,  not  far  from  Yamacraw,  expressing  to  the  last  his 
love  for  his  first  English  patron,  and  urging  upon  his 
people  the  policy  of  maintaining  their  place  in  his  good 
will.  The  chief  was  nearly  ninety-seven  years  of  age. 

The  year  1749  was  memorable  for  a  most  audacious 
attempt  on  the  part  of  one  Thomas  Bosomworth  to  ag 
grandize  himself  by  attaining  a  supremacy  over  the  Creeks. 
He  had  been  formerly  a  chaplain  in  Oglethorpe 's  regiment, 
and  had  married  Mary  Musgrove,  his  half-breed  interpre 
ter.  In  December,  of  1747,  this  man  fell  in  with  a  com 
pany  of  chiefs,  belonging  to  the  nation,  then  on  a  visit  to 
Frederica  ;  and  persuaded  them  to  sign  certain  articles, 
acknowledging  one  of  their  number,  named  Malatche 
Opiya  Meco,  as  rightful  king  over  the  whole  Creek  nation. 
Bosomworth  then  procured  from  Malatche  a  conveyance, 
for  certain  considerations  —  among  other  things,  a  large 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  443 

quantity  of  ammunition  and  clothing,  —  of  the  islands  for 
merly  reserved  by  the  Indians,  to  himself  and  his  wife 
Mary,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  "  as  long  as  the  sun  shall 
shine,  or  the  waters  run  in  the  rivers,  forever."  This  deed 
was  regularly  witnessed,  proved  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  recorded  in  due  form.  Bosomworth  made  some 
efforts  to  stock  and  improve  these  islands,  but,  his  ambi 
tion  becoming  aroused  by  success  in  his  first  intrigue,  he 
entered  upon  one  much  more  extensive.  By  his  persua 
sions,  his  wife  now  made  the  extraordinary  claim  that  she 
was  Malatche's  elder  sister,  and  entitled  to  regal  authority 
over  the  whole  Creek  territory. 

A  great  meeting  of  the  tribe  was  procured,  and,  what 
ever  of  truth  Mary's  claims  might  be  founded  upon,  she 
appears  to  have  succeeded  in  persuading  large  numbers  of 
the  Creeks  to  espouse  her  cause,  and  acknowledge  her  as 
an  independent  queen.  Accompanied  by  a  strong  force  of 
her  adherents,  she  proceeded  incontinently  to  Savannah, 
sending  emissaries  before  her  to  demand  a  surrender  of  all 
lands  south  of  the  Savannah  river,  and  to  make  known 
her  intention  of  enforcing  her  claim  by  the  entire  destruc 
tion  of  the  colony,  should  her  demands  be  resisted. 

The  militia  were  called  out  by  the  president  and  council, 
and  the  Indians  were  kept  quiet  by  a  display  of  confidence 
and  firmness,  that  matters  might  be  fully  discussed  by 
their  leaders  and  the  colonial  authorities.  "  Bosomworth," 
says  McCall,  "  in  his  canonical  robes,  with  his  queen  by 
his  side,  followed  by  the  kings  and  chiefs,  according  to 
rank,  marched  into  the  town  on  the  20th  of  July,  making 
a  most  formidable  appearance.  —  The  inhabitants  were 
struck  with  terror  at  the  sight  of  this  ferocious  tribe  of 
savages." 

Lengthy  discussions  ensued,  between  Bosomworth  and 
Mary  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  president  and  council 
on  the  other.  The  fickle  and  impressible  savages  leaned 


444  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

alternately  to  either  opinion  according  as  they  were  ha 
rangued  by  their  new  leaders,  or  listened  to  the  explana 
tions  of  the  other  party.  They  were  told  that  Mary's 
claims  to  royal  descent  were  entirely  false  ;  that  she  was 
the  daughter  of  a  white  man  by  a  squaw  of  no  note,  and 
that  the  mad  ambition  of  her  reprobate  husband  had  led 
to  the  whole  movement.  They  expressed  themselves  con 
vinced,  but  no  sooner  had  Mary  obtained  another  opportu 
nity  to  communicate  with  them,  than  she  succeeded  in 
inflaming  and  bewildering  their  minds.  It  was  found 
necessary  to  confine  her  and  her  husband  before  the  sav 
ages  could  be  quietly  dispersed. 

Before  this  was  accomplished,  the  town  was  in  a  situa 
tion  of  the  most  imminent  danger,  as  the  Indians  vastly 
outnumbered  the  whites  ;  and  a  very  slight  matter  might 
have  so  roused  their  fury  that  the  whole  colony  would  have 
been  annihilated.  The  intriguing  chaplain  had  a  brother, 
Adam  Bosomworth,  agent  for  Indian  affairs  in  Carolina, 
who  afterwards  espoused  his  interests,  so  far  as  the  claim 
to  the  islands  of  St.  Catharine,  Ossabaw,  and  Sapelo  was 
concerned.  This  coadjutor  visited  the  Creek  nation,  pro 
cured  a  new  conveyance,  and  prosecuted  the  claim  before 
the  courts  of  Great  Britain.  The  case  proved  almost  as 
tedious  and  complex  as  that  of  the  celebrated  Mohcgan 
land  question  in  Connecticut.  Bosomworth  and  his  wife 
obtained  a  decision  in  their  favor,  in  1759,  by  virtue  of 
jvliich  they  took  possession  of  St.  Catharine's  island,  and 
resided  upon  it  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Ossabaw  and 
Sapelo  were  decreed  to  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  suc 
cessful  parties,  but  further  litigation  arose  from  the  claims 
of  one  Isaac  Levy,  to  whom  they  had  sold,  as  was  asserted, 
a  moiety  of  that  portion  of  the  grant. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Cherokee  war,  in  the  winter  of 
this  year,  (1759,)  is  the  next  event  of  special  interest,  con 
nected  with  the  affairs  of  the  Southern  Indians.  They 


INDIANS    OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  445 

seen  generally  to  have  been  peaceably  disposed,  and  hon 
est  in  the  fulfilment  of  their  national  engagements,  and 
probably  would  have  continued  so,  had  they  met  with  fair 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  English  colonists.  Parties 
of  Cherokees,  under  British  commanders,  had  been  engaged 
with  the  English  in  campaigns  against  the  French  fortifi 
cations  at  the  west.  Upon  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Du- 
quesne,  numbers  of  these  Indian  warriors,  whose  services 
were  no  longer  required,  set  out  upon  their  return  home. 
Having  been  ill-supplied  with  provisions,  and  having  lost 
their  horses,  some  of  them  caught  and  availed  themselves 
of  such  of  those  animals  as  they  found  loose  in  the  woods. 
In  revenge  for  this  theft,  the  German  settlers  of  Virginia 
fell  upon  them,  and  murdered  and  scalped  a  considerable 
number.  They  even  imitated,  in  several  instances,  the 
horrible  cruelties  of  the  savages  in  the  manner  of  butch 
ery  —  at  least,  so  says  Adair,  who  further  reports,  that 
"  those  murderers  were  so  audacious  as  to  impose  the 
scalps  on  the  government  for  those  of  French  Indians  ; 
and  that  they  actually  obtained  the  premium  allowed  at 
that  time  by  law  in  such  a  case." 

The  Cherokees  did  not,  for  a  long  time,  attempt  any 
retaliation  for  this  act,  but  made  peaceable  applications  to 
the  authorities  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas  ;  but  all  was 
in  vain,  and  fresh  insults  and  injuries,  received  from  cer 
tain  officers  at  Fort  St.  George,  finally  excited  the  nation 
to  fury.  Adair  says  truly  :  "  When  the  Indians  find  no 
redress  of  grievances,  they  never  fail  to  redress  themselves, 
either  sooner  or  later.  But  when  they  begin  they  do  not 
know  where  to  end.  Their  thirst  for  the  blood  of  their 
reputed  enemies  is  not  to  be  quenched  with  a  few  drops. 
The  more  they  drink,  the  more  it  inflames  their  thirst. 
When  they  dip  their  finger  in  human  blood,  they  are  rest 
less  till  they  plunge  themselves  in  it." 

The  French,  and,  at  their  instance,  the  Muscogees,  were 


446  INDIAN   RACES    OF    AMERICA. 

not  slow  in  availing  themselves  of  the  above  circumstances 
to  stir  up  a  war  against  the  English.  The  Cherokees 
determined  upon  direct  retaliation  for  the  massacres  by 
the  Germans.  A  party,  bound  on  this  errand,  first  killed 
two  soldiers  near  Fort  Loudon,  on  the  south  bank  of  Ten 
nessee  river,  and  afterwards  spread  themselves  among  the 
western  settlements  of  North  Carolina,  killing  such  of  the 
whites  as  fell  in  their  power.  It  was  their  first  intention 
to  take  scalps  only  equal  in  number  to  that  of  their  mur 
dered  kinsmen,  but  once  having  their  hand  in,  they  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  of  going  much  farther.  "  Soon 
after  they  returned  home,  they  killed  a  reprobate  old 
trader." 

The  young  warriors,  now  thoroughly  roused  and  excited, 
would  listen  to  no  proposals  of  restraint  :  "  Nothing  but 
war-songs  and  war-dances  could  please  them,  during  this 
flattering  period  of  becoming  great  warriors,  '  by  killing 
swarms  of  white  dung-hill  fowls,  in  the  corn-fields,  and 
asleep,'  according  to  their  war-phrase." 

William  H.  Lyttleton,  governor  of  South  Carolina,  set 
himself  strenuously  both  to  prepare  for  the  defence  of 
the  colonies,  and  to  bring  about  an  adjustment  of  difficul 
ties.  At  Fort  St.  George,  on  the  Savannah,  he  held  a  con 
ference  with  six  Cherokee  chiefs,  on  the  26th  of  December 
(1759),  and  formed  a  treaty  of  peace,  secured  by  the  de 
livery  of  thirty -two  Indian  hostages.  These  were  placed 
in  close  confinement  in  a  small  and  miserable  hut,  and  the 
governor  returned  to  Charleston. 

According  to  the  usual  course  of  events,  the  Cherokees 
denied  the  authority  of  the  chiefs  who  had  concluded  the 
above  treaty,  and  hostilities  broke  out  afresh.  The  two 
most  celebrated  chiefs  and  leaders  among  them,  at  this 
time,  were  old  Attakullakulla,  a  promoter  of  peace,  and 
long  the  fast  friend  of  the  English,  and  Occonostota,  a 
noted  war-chief.  Captain  Coytmore,  commandant,  at  Fort 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  447 

George,  was  an  object  of  the  bitterest  hatred  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians,  and  a  large  body  of  them,  led  by  Occonos- 
tota,  besieged  the  fort  in  February  of  17GO. 

The  place  was  too  strong  to  be  taken  by  assault,  but  the 
Indian  chief  managed  to  entice  Coytmore  out  of  the  de 
fences  into  an  ambush,  where  he  was  shot  dead,  and  lieu 
tenants  Bell  and  Foster,  who  accompanied  him,  were 
wounded.  The  hostages  who  were  confined  within  the 
works,  shouted  to  encourage  their  friends  without,  and 
when  an  attempt  was  made  to  put  them  in  irons,  resisted 
manfully,  stabbing  one  soldier,  and  wounding  two  others. 
Upon  this,  a  hole  was  cut  in  the  roof  over  their  heads,  and 
the  cowardly  garrison  butchered  them  by  shooting  down 
from  above. 

This  war  now  commenced  in  earnest,  and  Indian  ravages 
extended  far  and  wide  upon  the  frontier.  Troops  were 
ordered  from  New  York  by  General  Amherst,  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  America  ;  and  the  neigh 
boring  colonies  appropriated  liberal  sums  for  the  purpose 
of  buying  the  aid  of  the  Creeks,  Chickasaws,  and  Catawbas. 

Colonel  Montgomery  reached  Carolina  in  April,  (1760,) 
and  hastened,  in  command  of  the  regulars  and  provincials, 
to  make  an  effective  inroad  upon  the  hostile  Indians.  His 
progress  through  the  lower  Cherokee  country  was  marked 
by  the  entire  destruction  of  the  Indian  towns.  The  first 
place  attacked,  called  Keowee,  was  surrounded,  and  the 
men  of  the  town  were  put  to  the  sword.  Estatoe,  con 
taining  two  hundred  houses,  with  great  quantities  of  pro 
visions,  was  entirely  destroyed  ;  but  the  inhabitants  were 
saved  by  a  timely  flight.  "  Everf  other  settlement  cast  of 
the  Blue  Ridge,"  says  McCall,  "  afterwards  shared  the 
same  fate." 

The  army  made  some  stay  at  Fort  Prince  George,  and 
useless  endeavors  were  put  forth  to  bring  about  a  pacifica 
tion  with  the  upper  portion  of  the  Cherokees.  In  the 


448  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

month  of  June  the  troops  were  again  on  their  advance 
into  the  wilderness  of  the  interior.  Near  the  Indian  town 
of  Etchoe,  the  native  warriors  prepared  a  most  skilful  am 
buscade  to  check  the  advancing  forces.  It  was  in  a  deep 
valley,  through  which  ran  a  muddy  stream,  with  steep 
banks  ;  on  either  side  of  which  the  way  was  completely 
choked  with  tangled  brushwood.  Some  hard  fighting 
took  place  at  this  spot,  in  which  twenty  of  the  whites 
were  killed  and  seventy-six  wounded.  The  loss  on  the 
side  of  the  Indians  was  much  less,  and,  although  driven 
from  the  spot  where  the  first  stand  was  made,  they  en 
trenched  themselves  a  little  farther  on.  Under  these  cir 
cumstances,  Montgomery  determined  to  secure  the  safety 
of  his  troops,  and  to  provide  for  the  requisite  attention  to 
his  wounded  men,  by  a  retreat.  He  soon  after  sailed  for 
New  York,  leaving  four  companies  of  regulars,  under 
Major  Hamilton,  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier. 

The  garrison  at  the  isolated  Fort  Loudon  was  now  in  a 
state  of  imminent  peril.  The  provisions  of  the  place  were 
nearly  exhausted,  and  the  redoubtable  Occonostota  was 
laying  close  siege  to  it  with  his  fierce  and  enraged  warriors. 
After  suffering  great  extremes  of  privation,  and  experi 
encing  disappointment  in  all  their  hopes  of  relief,  the  two 
hundred  men  stationed  at  this  place  were  obliged  to  ca 
pitulate,  and  trust  to  the  honor  of  their  savage  enemy. 
Captain  Steuart,  an  officer  greatly  in  favor  with  all  the 
friendly  Indians,  arranged  the  terms  upon  which  the  fort 
should  be  evacuated.  The  troops  were  to  be  allowed  a 
free  and  unmolested  passage  to  Virginia,  or  Fort  Prince 
George,  and  a  detachment  of  Indians  was  to  accompany 
them  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  provisions  by  hunting. 

The  garrison  marc  Led  out  on  the  7th  of  August  (1760). 
Occonostota  himself,  with  a  number  of  other  natives,  kept 
company  with  the  whites,  during  the  first  day's  march  of 
fifteen  miles  ;  but  these  all  disappeared  when  they  reached 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  449 

the  place  of  encampment,  near  an  Indian  town  called 
Taliquo.  On  the  next  morning,  just  before  day,  (the  time 
generally  selected  by  Indians  for  a  surprise,  as  men  sleep 
more  soundly  then  than  at  any  other  hour,)  a  large  body 
of  armed  savages  in  war-paint,  were  seen  by  a  sentinel, 
creeping  through  the  bushes,  and  gathering  about  the 
camp.  Hardly  was  the  alarm  given  when  the  attack  was 
made  :  twenty-six  of  the  feeble  and  half-starved  soldiers 
were  killed  outright,  and  the  rest  were  pinioned  and 
marched  back  to  the  fort. 

Captain  Steuart  was  among  the  prisoners,  but  his  evil 
fortune  was  alleviated  by  the  staunch  friendship  of  the 
benevolent  Attakullakulla.  This  chief,  as  soon  as  he  heard 
of  Steuart's  situation,  hastened  to  Fort  London,  "  and  pur 
chased  him  of  the  Indian  who  took  him,  giving  him  his 
rifle,  clothes,  and  all  that  he  could  command  by  way  of 
ransom  :  he  then  took  possession,  of  Captain  Demere's  house, 
where  he  kept  his  prisoner  as  one  of  his  family,  and  hu 
manely  shared  with  him  the  little  provisions  his  table 
afforded,  until  an  opportunity  should  offer  of  rescuing  him." 

A  quantity  of  ammunition  was  discovered  by  the  In 
dians  buried  in  the  fort,  and  Occonostota  determined  to 
proceed  at  once  to  lay  siege  to  Fort  Prince  George.  Captain 
Steuart  was  informed  that  the  assistance  of  himself  and 
his  men  would  be  required  in  the  management  of  the  great 
guns,  and  that,  furthermore,  if  the  garrison  should  refuse 
to  capitulate,  all  the  prisoners  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
Indians  should,  one  by  one,  be  burned  in  sight  of  the  fort. 
Perceiving  the  difficulty  of  his  situation,  the  captain  begged 
his  kind  old  proprietor  to  assist  him  in  effecting  an  escape, 
and  Attakullakulla  readily  lent  his  aid.  Upon  pretence 
of  taking  his  prisoner  out  for  a  hunt,  he  left  Fort  Loudon, 
with  his  wife  and  brother,  and  two  English  soldiers,  and 
took  a  direct  course  for  the  Virginia  frontier.  After  a 
most  toilsome  and  dangerous  march,  they  fell  in  with  a 


450  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

party  of  three  hundred  men,  sent  out  for  the  relief  of  such 
of  the  garrison  at  Fort  Loudon  as  might  have  effected  their 
escape.  Being  now  in  safety,  Captain  Steuart  dismissed 
his  Indian  friends  with  handsome  rewards,  to  return  .and 
attend  to  the  welfare  of  his  former  fellow-prisoners.  Such 
of  them  as  had  survived  were  afterwards  ransomed  and 
delivered  up  at  Fort  Prince  George. 

This  post  was  immediately  supplied  with  provisions  in 
anticipation  of  the  siege  ;  and  care  was  taken,  through  the 
mediation  of  Attakullakulla,  to  impress  the  Cherokees  with 
the  idea  that  it  was  totally  impregnable. 

Matters  appeared  now  to  be,  in  some  manner,  at  rest ; 
but  the  majority  of  the  Cherokee  nation  remained  thor 
oughly  inimical,  and  emissaries  from  the  French  colonies 
were  busy  in  their  midst.  A  French  officer,  of  the  name 
of  Latinac,  was  especially  successful  in  rousing  up  their 
hostile' feelings.  As  an  instance  of  his  style  of  proceeding, 
it  is  related  that,  at  a  great  conclave  of  the  tribe,  he 
stepped  out,  and  drove  his  hatchet  into  a  log,  calling  out : 
"  <  Who  is  the  man  that  will  take  this  up  for  the  king  of 
France  ? '  Saloue,  a  young  warrior  of  Estatoe,  laid  hold  of 
it,  and  cried  out,  '  I  am  for  war !  the  spirits  of  our  brothers 
who  have  been  slain  still  call  upon  us  to  revenge  their 
death  —  he  is  no  better  than  a  woman  who  refuses  to  fol 
low  me.' ' 

In  the  following  spring,  Colonel  James  Grant,  who  had 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  Highlanders  employed 
in  British  service  in  America,  commenced  active  operations 
against  the  belligerent  nation.  What  with  the  aid  of  the 
provincials  and  friendly  Indians,  he  was  at  the  head  of 
about  twenty-six  hundred  men.  The  Chickasaws  and 
Catawbas  lent  some  assistance  to  the  English  ;  but  the 
Creeks  are  said  to  have  alternately  inclined  to  the  French 
or  English,  according  as  they  received  or  hoped  for  favors 
and  presents. 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  451 

The  army  reached  Fort  Prince  George  on  the  27th  of 
May,  (1761,)  and  there  old  Attakullakulla  made  his  ap 
pearance,  deprecating  the  proposed  vengeance  of  the  whites 
upon  his  people.  He  was  told  that  the  English  still  felt 
the  strongest  regard  for  him  individually,  but  that  the  ill- 
will  and  misconduct  of  the  majority  of  the  nation  were  too 
palpable  and  gross  to  be  suffered  to  go  longer  unpunished. 
Colonel  Grant  marched  from  the  fort  in  the  month  of  June, 
and  advanced  nearly  to  the  spot  where  Montgomery's 
progress  had  been  arrested,  before  coming  to  an  engage 
ment.  Here  the  Cherokees,  on  the  10th,  made  a  desperate 
but  unavailing  stand  ;  they  were  routed  and  dispersed,  leav 
ing  their  towns  and  villages  of  the  interior  to  be  destroyed 
by  the  invaders.  Etchoe  was  burned  on  the  day  following 
the  battle ;  and,  according  to  McCall,  "  all  the  other  towns 
in  the  middle  settlement,  fourteen  in  number,  shared  the 
same  fate  :  the  corn,  cattle,  and  other  stores  of  the  enemy, 
were  likewise  destroyed,  and  those  miserable  savages,  with 
their  families,  were  driven  to  seek  shelter  and  subsistence 
among  the  barren  mountains." 

Upon  the  return  of  the  army  to  Fort  Prince  George, 
after  this  campaign,  Attakullakulla  again  visited  the  camp, 
bringing  with  him  a  number  of  other  Cherokee  chiefs. 
Broken  down  by  their  disastrous  losses,  and  disgusted  with 
the  deceitful  promises  of  the  French,  they  gladly  acceded 
to  such  terms  as  Colonel  Grant  thought  fit  to  impose,  and 
a  treaty  of  peace  was  formally  concluded. 
26 


4:52  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    III. 

CAPTAIN  STEU ART'S  AGENCY. —DISTURBANCE  IN  1767.  —  VISIT  OF  TJJ- 
CUMSEfl  TO  THE  SOUTHERN  TRIBES. —WE ATHERFORD.  —  SACK  OF 
FORT  1M1M.MS.—  WAR  OF  1813. —  GENERAL  JACKSON'S  CAMPAIGN.— 
BATTLES  ON  THE  TALLUSAHATCHEE ;  AT  TALLADEGA,  AUTOSSEE, 
ETC. -THE  HALLIBEES. -DEFEAT  OF  THE  INDIANS  AT  HORSE-SHOE 
BEND. —END  OF  THE  WAR. 

IN  the  year  1762,  it  was  thought  advisable  by  the  Eng 
lish  government  to  appoint  a  general  agent  and  superin 
tendent  of  Indian  affairs  at  the  south.  Partly  through  the 
earnest  intervention  of  Attakullakulla,  but  especially  be 
cause  of  his  known  sagacity  and  influence  over  the  native 
tribes,  this  office  was  conferred  upon  Captain  John  Steuart. 
Upon  entering  on  the  duties  of  his  appointment,  he  called 
a  great  council  of  deputies,  from  all  the  southern  tribes,  at 
Mobile.  Addressing  the  assembled  chiefs  in  their  own 
style  of  oratory,  he  explained  to  them  the  relations  then 
existing  between  France  and  England,  impressing  upon 
them  the  idea  that  all  residing  east  of  the  Mississippi,  must 
now  look  to  the  English  for  supplies  and  protection.  He 
directed  his  harangue  to  the  several  nations  in  separate 
succession,  promising  entire  amnesty  to  all  who  had  taken 
up  the  hatchet  in  behalf  of  the  French;  commending  those 
who  had  remained  faithful  to  the  English ;  and  excusing 
those  who  had  sided  with  the  enemy,  as  the  victims  of 
deception. 

It  was  proposed  to  adopt,  at  this  time,  a  more  just  and 
equable  policy  towards  the  Indians  than  had  heretofore 
been  used,  and  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  secure  them 
against  the  deception  of  unprincipled  speculators.  Affairs, 
accordingly,  looked  peaceful  and  prosperous  for  some 
years.  The  natives  made  over  a  large  additional  tract  of 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  453 

land  to  the  growing  colony  of  Georgia,  to  be  sold,  and  the 
avails  applied  to  the  discharge  of  the  heavy  debts  they 
had  incurred  for  supplies  of  ammunition,  clothing,  &c. 
The  following  circumstance  sufficiently  evinces  the  policy 
of  mild  measures  towards  the  Indians  :  In  17G7,  the  whites 
having  made  encroachments  upon  the  Indian  lands,  some 
of  the  Creek  warriors  began  to  retaliate  by  stealing  horses 
which  they  found,  upon  their  own  territory.  A  party  of 
them  also  attacked  a  store  at  Trader's  Hill,  on  the  St. 
Mary's,  belonging  to  one  Lemmons,  and  after  plundering 
it  of  its  contents,  burned  the  buildings.  Some  of  the 
whites  pursued  these  marauders ;  recovered  the  stolen 
horses  ;  laid  hands  upon  what  valuable  goods  they  could 
discover,  and  destroyed  the  villages  of  the  offenders.  Far 
less  important  affairs  have  often  led  to  long  and  bloody 
wars  with  the  natives ;  but,  in  this  instance,  Governor 
Wright,  at  Savannah,  restored  perfect  quiet  by  decreeing 
mutual  restorations  and  compensation. 

No  events  of  very  striking  interest  connected  with  the 
Indians  of  the  Southern  States,  call  for  our  attention  from 
this  period  to  that  of  the  wars  with  the  western  tribes  in 
the  early  part  of  the  present  century.  Until  they  became, 
to  a  certain  extent,  involved  in  those  hostilities,  they  re 
mained  in  comparative  peace  with  the  American  whites. 
After  the  termination  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States,  the 
intrigues  of  opposing  parties  no  longer  operated  to  foment 
disturbance,  or  to  tempt  the  unfortunate  savages  to  engage 
in  quarrels  where  they  had  nothing  to  gain,  and  which  ever 
resulted  in  their  final  discomfiture. 

By  a  steady  increase  of  numbers,  and  the  adventurous 
spirit  of  pioneers,  the  white  settlers  every  where  made  ad 
vances  upon  the  Indian  territory.  Sometimes  large  acqui 
sitions  would  be  made  by  a  government  purchase  ;  but  to 
no  small  extent,  the  opinion  that  the  occupation  of  a  few 


454  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

roving  savages  could  give  no  natural  title  to  lands,  as  '•op 
posed  to  the  claims  of  those  who  had  reclaimed,  enclosed, 
and  improved  the  wilderness,  satisfied  the  consciences  of 
the  encroachers.  The  argument  in  favor  of  this  conclusion 
is*  by  no  means  without  force  ;  but  who  can  take  upon  him-? 
self  to  draw  the  line  of  demarcation  which  shall  decide, 
upon  any  principle  of  universal  application,  the  bounds  of 
so  artificial  a  right  as  the  ownership  of  land  ? 

In  the  autumn  of  1811,  the  great  Shawanee  chief  Te- 
cumseh,  in  pursuance  of  his  bold  and  extensive  plans  for 
a  universal  association  of  the  Indians  against  the  whites, 
made  a  tour  among  the  southern  tribes.  His  eloquent 
appeals,  and  the  overpowering  energy  which  distinguished 
this  truly  great  man,  proved  successful  in  the  winning 
over  to  his  views  of  no  small  number  of  the  Indian  war 
riors,  even  among  those  who  had  long  maintained  a  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  Americans  and  the  government  of  the 
United  States. 

At  the  time  of  the  declaration  of  war  with  England, 
(June  18th,  1812,)  the  whole  western  border  of  the  United 
States  was  in  a  position  of  the  greatest  danger  and  inse 
curity.  The  machinations  of  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet 
had  roused  an  extensive  flame  of  vindictive  ferocity 
throughout  the  Indian  nations,  while  British  agents,  it  is 
said,  were  widely  dispersed,  and,  by  munificent  promises 
and  artful  persuasions,  had  still  farther  widened  the  breach 
between  the  savages  and  their  white  countrymen.  Fright 
ful  scenes  of  depredation  and  murder  called  for  a  prompt 
and  decisive  check.  Many  minor  forays  are  recorded,  but 
the  destruction  of  Fort  Minims  in  the  Tensau  settlement 
of  Mississippi,  in  the  summer  of  the  year  following,  may 
be  considered  the  first  important  part  taken  by  the  south 
ern  tribes  in  the  wars  of  this  period.  We  shall  not  under 
take,  in  our  brief  account  of  the  Indian  campaign  of  1813, 
to  keep  up  a  distinction  between  the  different  tribes  of 


INDIANS   OP   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  455 

Creeks,  Chickasaws,  Choctaws,  Cherokees,  &c.,  who  were 
drawn  into  hostilities. 

Prominent  among  the  chiefs  and  leaders  of  the  southern 
confederacy,  was  th«  celebrated  Weatherford.  His  mother 
was  said  to  have  been  a  Seminole,  but  he  was  born  among 
the  Creeks,  He  was,  beyond  question,  possessed  of  many 
noble  and  commanding  qualities,  but  these  were  combined 
with  cruelty,  avarice,  and  degrading  vices.  A  party  of 
about  one  thousand  warriors,  led  by  this  popular  chief, 
fell  upon  the  devoted  Fort  Minims,  on  the  30th  of  Au 
gust,  1813.  The  post  was  garrisoned  by  one  hundred  and 
sixty  efficient  soldiers ;  the  rest  of  its  occupants,  to  the 
number  of  one  hundred  and  fi'fteen,  consisted  of  old  men, 
women  and  children.  The  forces  were  under  the  com 
mand  of  Major  Beasly.  No  regular  preparations  had  been 
made  for  the  reception  of  so  powerful  an  enemy,  and  al 
though  the  soldiers  did  their  duty  manfully,  they  were 
overpowered,  and  all  slain  except  seventeen.  The  women 
and  children  having  ensconced  themselves  in  several  block 
houses,  met  with  a  more  terrible  fate.  The  savages  set 
fire  to  the  buildings,  and  consumed  them,  together  with 
their  inmates. 

The  settlers  'inhabiting  exposed  districts  were  now 
obliged  to  fly  for  safety  to  places  of  protection,  and  the 
hostile  hordes  of  Indians  were  collecting  their  warriors  for 
further  inroads  upon  the  frontier.  To  resist  them,  a  large 
force  was  called  into  requisition  in  Tennessee,  and  the  com 
mand  bestowed  upon  General  Andrew  Jackson.  Colonel 
Coffee,  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  body  of  troops,  and 
such  volunteers  as  could  be  immediately  collected,  hastened 
forward  to  defend  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Huntsville. 
General  Jackson,  although  disabled  at  this  time,  by  a 
broken  arm,  determined  to  take  the  field  in  person,  and 
pushed  on  the  necessary  preparations  with  all  that  zeal  and 
energy  which  marked  his  character  through  life. 


456  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

News  was  brought  by  some  runners  from  the  establish 
ment  of  the  friendly  old  Creek  chief  Chinnaby,  that  the 
enemy  was  approaching  Huntsville,  or  Fort  Hampton,  in 
full  force.  The  report  was  erroneous,*but,  as  other  rumors 
seemed,  at  the  time,  to  confirm  it,  the  general  hurried  his 
army  on  to  relieve  the  post.  This  was  on  the  10th  of  Oc 
tober  (1813).  From  Huntsville,  Jackson,  with  his  forces, 
crossed  the  Tennessee,  and  joined  Colonel  Coffee,  who  was 
posted  upon  a  high  bluff  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river. 

From  this  place,  Colonel  Coffee  was  despatched,  with 
seven  hundred  men,  to  beat  up  the  enemies'  quarters  on 
the  Black  Warrior  river,  while  the  commander  of  the 
army  turned  all  his  attention  to  securing  some  supplies  of 
provision  for  his  famishing  troops.  Encamped  in  the 
enemies'  country,  whither  they  had  arrived  by  forced 
marches,  the  troops  were  necessarily  exposed  to  great  hard 
ship  and  want.  While  awaiting  supplies  at  this  encamp 
ment,  General  Jackson  had  an  interview  with  Shelocta,  a 
son  of  Chinnaby,  who  had  come  to  request  assistance  for 
his  father  and  friends,  blockaded  in  their  fort  by  the  hos 
tile  Creeks.  He  said  that  a  considerable  force  of  the 
enemy  was  now  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Ten  Islands,  on  the 
Coosa. 

The  news  was  confirmed  by  other  messengers,  and  the 
commander  proceeded  towards  the  Coosa,  to  protect  his 
Indian  allies,  notwithstanding  the  straits  to  which  his  men 
were  reduced  from  want  of  provisions.  The  troops  reached 
the  Islands  without  encountering  an  enemy.  On  the  route, 
Colonel  Dyer  was  detached,  with  two  hundred  mounted 
men,  to  fall  upon  Littafutchee,  at  the  head  of  Canoe  Creek, 
a  western  tributary  of  the  Coosa.  He  accomplished  the 
service,  destroyed  the  town,  and  brought  back  to  the  camp 
twenty-nine  prisoners. 

While  encamped  at  the  Ten  Islands,  the  general  ascer 
tained  the  real  rendezvous  of  the  enemy  to  be  upon  the 


INDIANS   OP   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  457 

Tallussahatchee  Creek,  emptying  into  the  Coosa  about 
thirteen  miles  below  the  encampment.  Colonel  Coffee, 
with  nine  hundred  men,  was  promptly  ordered  upon  the 
duty  of  engaging  them.  He  forded  the  Coosa  at  the  Fish- 
Dams,  and  approaching  the  Indian  camp,  so  disposed  his 
forces  as  to  partially  surround  it,  while  several  companies, 
under  Captain  Hammond  and  Lieutenant  Patterson,  were 
marched  in  to  beat  up  the  enemies'  quarters.  The  savages 
fought  boldly  and  desperately,  but  were  overpowered  and 
driven  into  their  buildings,  where  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  of  their  number  perished,  fighting  hand  to  hand. 
Eighty-four  women  and  children  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
a  -number  were  killed,  as  is  said,  by  accident,  during  the 
melee.  This  battle  was  fought  on  the  3d  of  November 
(1813). 

A  species  of  fortification  was  now  prepared  at  the  islands, 
and  named  Fort  Strother.  On  the  7th  of  the  month,  in 
formation  was  received  that  the  enemy  was  collecting  in 
force  to  attack  Talladega, —  a  post  about  thirty  miles  be 
low,  occupied  by  friendly  Indians,  —  and  General  Jackson, 
with  nearly  his  whole  army,  consisting  of  twelve  hundred 
infantry  and  eight  hundred  mounted  men,  hastened  to  its 
relief.  The  baggage,  the  sick,  and  the  wounded,  were  left, 
under  a  guard  of  protection,  at  Fort  Strother. 

The  river  was  forded  by  the  mounted  men,  each  carrying 
one  of  the  infantry  behind  him,  a  process  which  was  con 
tinued  till  the  whole  army  was  safely  landed  on  the  oppo 
site  shore.  It  was  about  midnight  when  the  march  com 
menced,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  ensuing  day,  a  spot 
only  six  miles  from  Talladega  was  reached.  By  four 
o'clock,  on  the  following  morning,  the  troops  were  again  in 
motion  ;  and,  acting  upon  intelligence  obtained  by  recon 
noitring  during  the  night,  General  Jackson  was  enabled 
so  to  dispose  his  troops  as  partially  to  surround  the  camp 
before  the  action  commenced.  It  is  unnecessary  to  give 


458  INDIAN    RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  details  of  this  battle.  The  Indians  displayed  both 
courage  and  firmness,  and  by  the  impetuosity  of  their 
attack,  broke  through  the  line  of  the  advancing  forces  at  a 
point  occupied  by  General  Roberts'  brigade.  They  were 
driven  in  again  by  a  body  of  reserved  troops,  but  succeeded 
in  making  their  escape  to  the  mountains,  three  miles  dis 
tant,  through  an  opening  left  by  some  miscalculation  in  the 
direction  of  the  Americans'  advance.  "  In  this  battle," 
according  to  Cobbett,  "  the  force  of  the  enemy  was  one 
thousand  and  eighty,  of  whom  two  hundred  and  ninety- 
nine  were  left  dead  on  the  ground  ;  and  it  is  believed  that 
many  were  killed  in  the  flight,  who  were  not  found  when 
the  estimate  was  made.  Their  loss,  on  this  occasion,  as 
stated  since  by  themselves,  was  not  less  than  six  hundred. 
That  of  the  Americans  was  fifteen  killed  and  eighty 
wounded,  several  of  whom  afterwards  died." 

The  friendly  Indians,  who  had  been  besieged  in  their 
fort  at  this  place,  deprived  even  of  water,  expressed  the 
liveliest  gratitude  and  exultation  at  their  release.  The 
fatigue,  exposure,  and  want  which  the  army  were  compelled 
to  undergo,  now  began  to  arouse  a  spirit  of  discontent  and 
mutiny.  Few  men  have  ever  possessed  that  self-devotion 
and  noble  spirit  of  endurance,  combined  with  an  inflexibil 
ity  of  purpose  never  surpassed,  which  enabled  Jackson  to 
quell  the  disturbances  which  arose,  and  to  preserve  the 
forces  under  his  charge  in  a  condition  for  active  and  useful 
service. 

After  the  battle  at  Talladega,  the  Hallibee  Indians,  who 
were  largely  concerned  in  that  transaction,  sued  for  peace. 
They  were  told  by  the  American  general  that  this  should 
be  accorded,  upon  condition  of  the  restoration  of  plundered 
property,  and  the  delivering  up  of  those  who  had  taken 
part  in  the  massacre  at  Fort  Mimms.  Unfortunately, 
while  these  negotiations  were  pending,  General  White, 
acting  under  orders  independent  of  General  Jackson, 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  459 

attacked  the  towns  of  these  Indians,  destroyed  many  of 
their  warriors,  and  carried  off  several  hundred  captives. 
Supposing  that  this  was  by  Jackson's  orders,  they  expected 
no  further  favor,  and  fought  thereafter  with  the  desperation 
of  men  to  whom  no  quarter  was  to  be  given. 

The  result  of  this  Indian  campaign  was  the  entire  reduc 
tion  of  the  hostile  nations.  We  need  not  recount  the  va 
rious  battles  in  which  they  were  defeated  and  destroyed. « 
The  most  noted  of  these  were  at  Autossee,  where  some 
two  hundred  were  massacred,  on  the  29th  of  November, 
and  that  of  the  great  bend  in  the  Tallapoosie,  known  as 
Horse-Shoe  Bend.  At  this  latter  point,  the  Indians  forti 
fied  themselves  for  a  last  and  desperate  stand. 

They  were  supposed  to  be  about  one  thousand  in  num 
ber,  and  had  been,  for  some  time,  strengthening  their  posi 
tion  by  every  means  within  their  reach.  This  was  in  the 
month  of  March,  1814.  On  the  27th,  General  Jackson, 
with  a  force  of  whites  and  friendly  Indians,  three  times 
the  number  of  the  enemy,  commenced  operations  against 
the  fort.  General  Coffee,  with  most  of  the  cavalry  and 
Indian  allies,  was  directed  to  surround  the  bend,  in  order 
to1  cut  off  all  retreat  across  the  river.  The  place  was  then 
carried  by  storm,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  within.  More 
than  half  the  Indians  were  killed  at  the  fort,  and  an  un 
known  number  perished  in  their  endeavors  to  escape  by 
crossing  the  river,  beset  as  it  was  by  the  assailants.  Some 
have  asserted  that  probably  not  more  than  twenty  ever 
reached  a  place  of  safety.  At  a  time  when  it  Avas  evident 
that  the  fortune  of  the  day  was  decided,  General  Jackson 
sent  a  messenger,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  invite  a  surrender, 
but,  from  ignorance  or  desperation,  the  savages  fired  upon 
the  bearer  of  the  flag.  After  this,  no  mercy  was  shown : 
until  night  put  an  end  to  the  w=ork  of  destruction,  they 
were  shot  or  cut  down  wherever  they  could  be  found,  and 
even  on  the  following  morning,  a  considerable  number  were 


460  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

ferreted  out  from  the  "  caves  and  reeds,"  where  they  had 
sought  concealment,  and  remorselessly  put  to  death.  Sev 
eral  hundred  women  and  children  were  made  captives. 
The  loss  of  the  attacking  army  in  this  battle  was  fifty-five 
killed,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-six  wounded. 

In  the  ensuing  month,  (April,)  General  Jackson  having 
effected  a  junction  with  the  troops  from  Georgia,  under 
Colonel  Milton,  received  a  deputation  from  the  principal 
hostile  tribes,  expressing  a  wish  for  peace.  The  general 
demanded,  as  one  condition  upon  which  he  would  treat, 
and  as  a  test  of  the  sincerity  of  the  proposal,  that  the 
great  but  notorious  Weather-ford  should  be  delivered  up 
for  punishment.  This  chief,  hearing  of  the  requisition, 
and  hopeless  of  further  success  in  resistance,  came  volun 
tarily  to  the  American  camp,  and  presenting  himself  before 
the  commander,  with  characteristic  dignity  and  composure, 
requested  peace  for  his  people,  and  announced  his  own  sub 
mission  to  his  fate,  whatever  it  might  be. 

His  speech  on  this  occasion  is  given  as  follows  :  "  I  am 
in  your  power  —  do  with  me  as  you  please  —  I  am  a  sol 
dier.  I  have  done  the  whites  all  the  harm  I  could.  I 
have  fought  them,  and  fought  them  bravely.  If  I  had  Sn 
army,  I  would  yet  fight  —  I  would  contend  to  the  last: 
but  I  have  none.  My  people  are  all  gone.  I  can  only 
weep  over  the  misfortunes  of  my  nation." 

On  being  told  that  he  was  still  at  liberty  to  depart,  and 
that  no  favor  would  be  shown  to  him  or  his  nation  unless 
they  should  submit  to  whatever  terms  the  whites  should  see 
fit  to  impose,  he  replied :  "  You  can  safely  address  me  in 
such  terms  now.  There  was  a  time  when  I  could  have 
answered  you — there  was  a  time  when  I  had  a  choice  —  I 
have  none  now.  I  have  not  even  a  hope.  I  could  once 
animate  my  warriors  to  -battle ;  but  I  cannot  animate  the 
dead.  My  warriors  can  no  longer  hear  my  voice.  Their 
bones  are  at  Talladega,  Tallusshatchee,  Emuckfaw,  and 


INDIANS   OP   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  461 

Tohopeka.  *  *  *  '  You  are  a  brave  man ;  I  rely  upon 
your  generosity.  You  will  exact  no  terms  of  a  conquered 
people  but  such  as  they  should  accede  to." 

This  was  the  last  important  incident  of  the  campaign. 
The  Indians  submitted  to  the  dictation  of  the  whites,  and 
retired  to  the  districts  assigned  tliem,  eastward  of  the  Coosa. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

THE  REMOVAL  OF  THE  CHEROKEES  WEST  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI.  —  PRES 
ENT  LOCATION  AND  CONDITION  OF  THE  OTHER  TRIBES  OF  THE 
SOUTHERN  STATES. 

"  Bearing  a  people  with  all  its  household  gods  into  exile, 
Exile  without  an  end,  and  without  an  example  in  story." 

LONGFELLOW. 

BUT  a  few  years  have  passed  since  the  Cherokees  were 
in  the  peaceful  occupation  of  an  immense  and  fertile  terri 
tory  in  the  northern  part  of  Georgia.  They  numbered  not 
far  from  eighteen  thousand,  and  were  increasing  in  a  ratio 
which  attested  their  power  of  self-support  and  improve 
ment.  They  had  made  advances  far  beyond  most  of  their 
red  brethren  in  the  arts  of  agriculture  and  manufactures. 
A  system  of  legislation  adapted  to  their  capacities  and 
wants  had  been  established,  and,  generally  speaking,  the 
nation  exhibited  a  praiseworthy  spectacle  of  sobriety,  in 
dustry,  and  good  order.  They  were  in  possession  of  about 
eight  millions  of  acres  of  land,  and  their  ability  and  incli 
nation  to  cultivate  it  may  appear  from  the  statistics  of  their 
stock  and  agricultural  implements.  In  1826,  they  were 
the  owners  of  seven  thousand  six  hundred  horses,  twenty- 
two  thousand  cattle,  forty-six  thousand  swine,  and  two 
thousand  five  hundred  sheep.  There  were  in  use  among 


462  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

them  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-three  ploughs, 
and  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  wagons.  They  occupied 
their  territory  under  the  treaties  entered  into,  and  within 
the  bounds  assigned,  at  the  negotiations  between  the  con 
federate  states  and  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  south,  at  the 
close  of  the  revolutionary  war. 

In  the  year  1802,  when  the  long-vexed  question  of  the 
boundaries  of  the  state  of  Georgia  was  finally  settled,  the 
United  States  stipulated  to  extinguish  the  title  of  the 
Clierokees  to  the  lands  then  in  their  possession,  "  as  early 
as  the  same  could  be  peaceably  obtained,  upon  reasonable 
terms." 

As  the  states  of  Georgia,  Alabama,  and  Mississippi 
increased  in  power  and  population,  they  became  more  and 
more  impatient  of  the  existence  of  self-governing  and 
independent  tribes  within  their  boundaries,  and  began  to 
exert  a  control  over  them  in  some  instances  exceedingly 
unjust  and  oppressive.  Strong  efforts  were  made  to  induce 
an  emigration  of  these  Indians  to  the  west,  which  were  in 
some  measure  successful,  and,  prior  to  1829,  a  cession  or 
sale  of  a  very  large  district  had  been  obtained  from  the 
Cherokees.  The  members  of  this  tribe,  naturally  attached 
to  the  beautiful  country  in  which  they  had  passed  their 
lives,  finally  determined  to  retain  possession  of  what  re 
mained  of  their  lands,  and  to  allow  of  no  further  sales 
to  whites. 

In  December,  of  the  above  year,  the  state  of  Georgia 
passed  a  series  of  acts  which  justly  aroused  the  fears  and 
indignation  of  the  Indians,  and  excited  a  feeling  of  sym 
pathy  in  their  behalf,  as  powerful  as  extensive.  The  laws 
of  the  state  were  declared  to  be  in  full  force  over  all  the 
Aborigines  within  its  limits  ;  the  regulations  and  provis 
ions  of  the  Cherokee  council  were  declared  invalid  and 
void  ;  heavy  penalties  (amounting  to  years  of  imprison 
ment  at  hard  labor)  were  awarded  against  any  Cherokee 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  463 

who  should  "  endeavor  "  to  oppose  emigration ;  and  it  was 
even  enacted,  by  the  fifteenth  section,  "  that  no  Indian,  or 
descendant  of  an  Indian,  within  the  Cherokee  nation  of 
Indians,  shall  be  a  competent  witness  in  any  court  of 
Georgia,  in  a  suit  in  which  a  white  man  is  a  party,  unless 
such  white  man  resides  within  said  nation." 

Notwithstanding  the  adverse  opinions  of  many  of  the 
ablest  jurists  in  the  country,  as  to  the  constitutionality  or 
validity  of  these  and  other  provisions  of  the  Georgia  legis 
lature,  and  even  a  decision  against  them  in  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  they  were,  to  a  certain  extent, 
enforced.  The  situation  of  the  Indians  became,  in  con 
sequence,  so  precarious  and  uncomfortable,  that  a  con 
siderable  party  was  formed  among  them  of  those  favorable 
to  migration.  At  the  head  of  this  faction  was  Major 
Ridge,  while  the  celebrated  John  Ross  was  the  leader  of 
those  opposed  to  the  movement  —  a  very  large  majority 

of  the  nation. 

• 

Matters  continued  in  a  disturbed  and  unquiet  state,  until 
1835.  At  this  time,  the  Rev.  J.  T.  Schermerhorn  was  de 
puted  by  the  United  States  executive  to  bring  about  a  treaty 
whereby  the  Cherokees  should  remove  peaceably,  receiving 
a  reasonable  compensation  for  the  improvements  which 
they  should  leave  behind  them. 

The  negotiation  appears  to  have  been  conducted  as  most 
Indian  treaties  have  been,  wherever  a  specific  object  was  to 
be  gained.  Notice  was  given  of  a  council  to  be  held,  and 
a  collection  of  those  favorable  to  the  proposed  emigration 
ratified  a  treaty  by  which  the  whole  tribe  was  bound  to 
remove  within  two  years.  Notwithstanding  the  obvious 
want  of  authority  on  the  part  of  those  individuals  to  bind 
the  nation,  and  a  remonstrance  signed  by  the  thousands 
who  opposed  the  treaty,  it  was  ratified  by  Congress.  An 
appropriation  was  made  for  the  indemnification  of  those 
who  should  suffer  loss  by  being  torn  from  their  homes,  and 


464  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

for  the  other  expenses  attending  the  iniquitous  transaction, 
and  nothing  was  left  to  the  unhappy  Cherokees  but  sub 
mission. 

No  resistance  was  made,  as,  indeed,  any  opposition 
would  have  been  utterly  fruitless.  The  United  States' 
forces,  sent  to  overawe  the  Indians  and  enforce  compliance 
with  the  cruel  edict,  found  no  call  for  their  services.  With 
a  commendable  spirit  of  energy  and  perseverance,  the 
Cherokees,  with  their  brethren  of  the  neighboring  tribes 
of  the  south,  have  pursued  the  arts  and  refinements  of 
civilization  in  their  new  homes  at  the  west.  They  are  now 
set  down  as  numbering  not  far  from  twenty-six  thousand, 
of  whom  by  far  the  larger  portion  is  located  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  A  considerable  settlement,  however,  is  still 
existing  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Creeks  or  Muscogees  have  been  continually  emi 
grating  westward  since  the  era  of  the  difficulties  between 
the  southern  states  and  the  Indians  within  their  limits,  in 
1828-9,  et  seq.  They  enjoy  a  tolerably  systematic  form  of 
government,  and  are  in  many  respects  prosperous. 

Without  going  into  a  particular  description  of  the  con 
dition  of  the  other  emigrating  nations,  we  will  conclude 
this  subject  with  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  upon 
"  The  problem  of  civilization,"  to  be  solved  in  the  future 
history  of  these  races.  "  Whatever  doubts  have  existed, 
heretofore,  in  regard  to  the  satisfactory  solution  of  this 
question,  they  must  now  give  way  before  the  cheering  re 
sults  that  have  attended  the  philanthropic  efforts  that  have, 
from  time  to  time,  been  made,  and  are  at  present  going  on 
among  the  Cherokees,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  and  Creeks. 
These  tribes  yielded  their  country  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
rendered  dear  to  them  by  the  associations  of  youth,  their 
traditions,  and  the  graves  of  their  fathers.  They  had 
learned  the  great  truths  of  Christianity,  and  the  arts 
of  agriculture,  and  of  civilized  life;  yet  they  gave  up 


INDIANS   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   STATES.  465 

all,  and  sought  a  new  home  in  the  far-off  wilderness,  and 
have  made  in  that  wilderness  fruitful  and  rich  farms,  and 
flourishing  villages.  Some  of  their  schools  are  of  a  high 
order.  The  gospel  ministry  is  well  attended.  Some  of 
their  constitutions  are  purely  republican.  The  people  are 
increasing  in  numbers.  Peace  dwells  within  their  limits, 
and  plenteousness  within  their  borders  ;  civilization  upon 
Christian  principles  ;  agriculture  and  the  mechanic  arts ; 
and  schools.  With  these  primary  and  fundamental  prin 
ciples  of  human  happiness,  civilization  among  them  is  no 
longer  problematical^' 


NOKTHERN  RACES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  ESQUIMAUX;  THEIR  MANNERS  AND  PERSONAL  APPEAliANCE. — 
ACCOUNTS  OF  EARLY  VOYAGERS.  —  ESQUIMAUX  HABITATIONS,  FOOD, 
ETC.  — THE  KAIAK  OR  CANOE.— SEALING.— THE  REINDEER.  —  USES 
OF  THE  DOG.  — PATRIARCHAL  GOVERNMENT. -EFFECTS  OF  FOREIGN 
INTERCOURSE. 

"  Semper  hyems ;  semper  spirantes  frigora  Cauri." 

VIRGIL. 

THERE  is  little,  besides  some  analogies  in  language,  to 
connect  the  uncouth  race  which  forms  the  subject  of  this 
chapter  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  more  genial  climates 
of  North  America.  The  Esquimaux  are  spread  over  a 
vast  region  at  the  north,  dwelling  principally  upon  the 
sea-coast,  and  upon  the  numberless  inlets  and  sounds  with 
which  the  country  is  intersected.  There  is  a  striking  simi 
larity  in  the  language,  habits  and  appearance  of  all  the 
tribes  of  the  extreme  north,  from  Greenland  to  Bhering's 
Straits. 

Charlevoix  gives  a  very  uninviting  description  of  their 
personal  aspect.  He  tells  us  that  there  are  none  of  the 
American  races  who  approach  so  nearly  to  the  idea  usu 
ally  entertained  in  Europe  of  "  savages  "  as  do  the  Esqui 
maux.  In  striking  contrast  to  the  thin  beard  (for  the 
most  part  artificially  eradicated)  of  other  American  abo 
rigines,  these  people  have  that  excrescence  "  si  cpaisse 
jusq'aux  yeux,  qiCon  a  peine  a  decouvrir  quelques  traits 

(466) 


NORTHERN   RACES.  467 

de  leur  visage."  It  covers  their  faces  nearly  to  the  eyes ; 
so  that  one  can  scarcely  distinguish  some  features  of  their 
countenance.  They  have,  moreover,  he  says,  something 
hideous  in  their  general  aspect  and  demeanor  —  small,  wild- 
looking  eyes,  large  and  very  foul  teeth,  the  hair  generally 
black,  but  sometimes  fair,  and  always  in  extreme  disorder, 
and  their  whole  exterior  rough  and  brutish.  Their  man 
ners  and  character  do  not  falsify  this  unprepossessing 
physiognomy.  They  are  savage,  rude,  suspicious,  unquiet, 
and  always  evil-disposed  towards  strangers.  He  considers 
their  fair  hair  and  skin,  with  the  slight  general  resemblance 
they  bear  towards,  and  the  limited  intercourse  they  carry 
on  with,  the  neighboring  natives,  as  indisputable  evidence 
of  a  separate  origin. 

Prichard  says,  that  "  the  description  given  by  Crantz  of 
the  Greenlanders,  may  well  apply  to  the  whole  race.  They 
are,  for  the  most  part,  under  five  feet  in  stature.  They  have 
well-shaped  and  proportioned  limbs.  Their  face  is  com 
monly  broad  and  flat,  with  high  cheek-bones,  but  round 
and  plump  cheeks ;  their  eyes  are  little  and  black,  but  de 
void  of  sparkling  fire  ;  their  nose  is  not  flat,  but  small,  and 
projecting  but  little ;  their  mouth  is  little  and  round,  and 
the  under  lip  somewhat  thicker  than  the  other.  They 
have  universally  coal-black,  straight,  strong  and  long  hair 
on  their  heads,  but  no  beards,  because  they  root  it  out."  — 
These  last  particulars  will  be  seen  to  be  variant  from  the 
description  given  above  by  Charlevoix,  of  the  race  in 
general.  —  Crantz  proceeds:  "Their  hands  and  feet  are 
little  and  soft,  but  their  head  and  the  rest  of  their  limbs 
are  large.  They  have  high  breasts  and  broad  shoulders ; 
their  whole  body  is  fat." 

The    descriptions    handed    down    by  the    most    ancient 

voyagers  to  Greenland  of  the  Skreellings  or  natives  whom 

they  encountered,  corresponds  very  nearly  with  the  general 

outline  above  given.     They  speak  of  them  as  a  dwarfish 

27 


4(58  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

people  —  seldom  more  than  four  feet  four  inches  in  height ; 
suspicious  and  hostile  towards  strangers  ;  subsisting  upon 
the  products  of  the  sea  ;  clothed  in  the  same  style,  and  using 
the  same  weapons,  boats  and  implements,  as  those  still  in 
habiting  the  country.  The  inhospitable  nature  of  their 
climate,  their  slender  resources,  and  the  deterioration  of  the 
race  consequent  upon  such  a  mode  of  life  as  theirs,  seem  to 
preclude  the  probability  of  much  improvement  ever  taking 
place  in  their  condition. 

The  Esquimaux  received  little  better  treatment,  at  the 
hands  of  the  early  European  discoverers,  than  did  their 
brethren  farther  south.  It  is  strange  to  read  of  the  cool 
ness  with  which  those  adventurers  speak  of  the  enormities 
committed  not  unfrequently  against  the  unoffending  and 
ignorant  natives.  The  meeting  with  several  "  wild  men," 
and  the  killing  one  of  them  "  to  make  the  rest  tractable," 
is  mentioned  as  a  passing  and  ordinary  event. 

In  Frobisher's  expedition,  after  a  skirmish  in  which 
many  of  the  Indians  were  killed,  two  prisoners  were  taken. 
One  of  them,  an  old  woman,  was  so  disgustingly  hideous 
in  her  whole  appearance  that  suspicions  were  entertained 
lest  she  should  be  the  devil  himself;  and  the  captors  pro 
ceeded  to  pluck  off  her  buskins,  in  order  to  satisfy  them 
selves  as  to  whether  the  cloven  hoof  was  not  concealed  by 
them.  The  other  captive,  a  young  woman,  with  a  wounded 
child  in  her  arms,  was  retained,  but  the  old  hag  was  dis 
missed  as  being  too  revolting  an  object  to  be  endured. 
When  attempts  were  made  to  apply  remedies  to  the  wound 
of  the  child,  the  mother  "  licked  off  with  her  tongue  the 
dressings  and  salves,  and  cured  it  in  her  own  way." 

John  Davis  was  disposed  to  treat  them  more  kindly 
than  most  of  his  predecessors,  but  his  indignation  was 
finally  excited  by  their  "  practising  their  devilish  nature," 
and  he  allowed  his  men  to  retaliate  upon  them  in  some 
measure. 


NORTHERN   RACES.  460 

Notwithstanding  the  bad  character  given  of  this  people, 
it  appears  that,  after  their  first  suspicions  are  allayed,  they 
prove  gentle  and  tractable  associates  ;  and  are  by  no  means 
wanting  in  urbanity  and  kindliness.  How  readily  their 
suspicions  are  allayed,  will  appear  from  the  account  of 
Captain  Back's  first  meeting  with  a  small  party  of  Esqui 
maux.  They  were  seen  at  a  short  distance,  gathering  in 
excited  groups,  or  running  about  at  their  wits-end  with 
astonishment  at  the  appearance  of  these  "  Kabloonds  "  or 
Europeans,  being  the  first  they  had  ever  seen.  When  the 
English  began  to  advance  towards  them,  they  were  at  first 
repelled  by  wild  outcries,  and  gesticulations,  and  by  hostile 
demonstrations  with  the  spears,  which  formed  the  weapons 
of  the  Indians.  The  uncouth  group  stood  in  a  semi-circle, 
"  yelling  out  some  unintelligible  word,"  as  the  captain 
boldly  and  composedly  walked  up  to  them,  and  made  signs 
of  peace,  throwing  up  his  hands,  as  he  observed  them  to  do, 
and  calling  out  "  Tima  "  —  (peace).  ".In  an  instant  their 
spears  were  flung  to  the  ground  ;  and,  putting  their  hands 
on  their  breasts,  they  also  called  out  Tima,  with  much 
more,  doubtless  greatly  to  the  purpose." 

Any  attempt  to  give  a  connected  history  of  the  Esqui 
maux,  from  the  time  of  their  first  intercourse  with  Eu 
ropeans  would  necessarily  resolve  itself  into  a  narrative  of 
the  various  polar  expeditions.  The  progress  of  the  Chris- 
tian  missions  upon  the  coast,  could  we  afford  space  to 
enter  upon  it,  might  throw  some  light  upon  the  natural 
endowments  of  the  race ;  but  we  must  content  ourselves 
with  a  few  general  descriptions,  cited  indiscriminately  from 
different  authors. 

The  dwellings  of  the  Esquimaux  consist  either  of  mov 
able  tents,  constructed  of  poles  and  skins,  in  the  style  of 
an  ordinary  Indian  wigwam,  or  of  regularly  arched  domes 
of  snow  and  ice.  The  precision,  rapidity,  and  geometrical 
accuracy  which  they  display  in  shaping  the  blocks  of  which 


470  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

these  snow  huts  are  composed,  excite  the  admiration  of  the 
beholder.  An  art  which  the  architects  of  the  ancient  na 
tions  of  Europe  never  acquired  —  the  formation  of  the  arch 
—  has  from  time  immemorial  been  in  use  among  this  un 
tutored  race.  The  snow  houses  prove  as  tight,  warm,  and 
comfortable  as  could  be  desired  ;  but  the  habits  of  the  occu 
pants  render  them  insufferably  offensive  to  the  whites. 
Crowded  with  dogs,  defiled  with  oil,  blubber,  and  offal ; 
and  blackened  by  smoke  and  filth,  they  are  said  to  nauseate 
even  those  whose  lives  are  passed  amid  the  impurities  of  a 
whale-ship.  A  person  entering  one  of  these  huts  is  obliged 
to  creep  through  a  low  arched  passage  into  the  principal 
apartment,  which,  like  those  leading  from  it,  presents  the 
appearance  of  a  perfectly-formed  dome,  lighted  by  a  window 
of  transparent  ice  let  into  the  roof. 

The  tents,  used  upon  the  migratory  expeditions  in  search 
of  game,  consist  of  skins,  supported  by  a  circle  of  poles 
bent  together  at  the  top,  and  in  severe  weather,  thickly 
lined  within  with  reindeer  skins.  During  the  long  dark 
night  of  winter,  when  food  is  exceedingly  scarce,  shut  up 
in  these  dismal  abodes,  and  enduring  extremes  of  cold 
and  privation  elsewhere  unknown,  the  condition  of  the 
Esquimaux  seems  most  deplorable  to  one  who  has  lived  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  comforts  of  civilization.  Far,  how 
ever,  from  complaining  of  their  lot,  they  exhibit  a  singular 
cheerfulness  and  equanimity,  even  when  in  the  greatest 
straits.  Parry  speaks,  in  the  following  words,  of  the  mis 
erable  condition  of  a  few  Esquimaux  who  inhabited  a  hut 
in  a  deserted  village,  after  the  rest  of  the  tribe  had  moved 
westward  at  the  approach  of  spring.  "  The  remaining 
tenants  of  each  hut  had  combined  to  occupy  one  of  the 
apartments  ;  a  great  part  of  the  bed-places  were  still  bare, 
and  the  wind  and  drift  blowing  in  through  the  holes  which 
they  had  not  yet  taken  the  trouble  to  stop  up.  The  old 
man  Hikkeiera  and  his  wife  occupied  a  hut  by  themselves, 


NORTHERN   RACES.  471 

without  any  lamp,  or  a  single  ounce  of  meat  belonging  to 
them  ;  while  three  small  skins,  on  which  the  former  was 
lying,  were  all  that  they  possessed  in  the  way  of  hlankets. 
Upon  the  whole,  I  never  beheld  a  more  miserable  specta 
cle,  and  it  seemed  a  charity  to  hope  that  a  violent  and  con 
stant  cough  with  which  the  old  man  was  afflicted,  would 
speedily  combine  with  his  age  and  infirmities  to  release 
him  from  his  present  sufferings.  Yet,  in  the  midst  of  all 
this,  he  was  even  cheerful,  nor  was  there  a  gloomy  counte 
nance  to  be  seen  at  the  village." 

The  flesh  of  the  reindeer,  musk-ox,  walrus,  and  seal, 
with  fish,  water-fowl,  and  occasionally  the  carcass  of  a 
stranded  whale,  forms  the  chief*nourishment  of  the  Es 
quimaux.  Nothing  that  has  life  comes  amiss  to  them,  and, 
although  they  prefer  cooked  meat  to  raw,  this  preparation 
is  by  no  means  deemed  essential.  The  only  vegetable  diet 
procurable  at  the  extreme  north,  except  at  those  places 
where  the  natives  can  obtain  foreign  articles,  consists  of 
the  leaves  of  sorrel,  ground-willow,  &c.,  with  a  few  berries 
and  roots. 

"  In  eating  their  meals,"  according  to  Parry's  account, 
"  the  mistress  of  the  family,  having  previously  cooked  the 
meat,  takes  a  large  lump  out  of  the  pot  with  her  fingers, 
and  hands  it  to  her  husband,  who,  placing  a  part  of  it  be 
tween  his  teeth,  cuts  it  off  with  a  large  knife  in  that  posi 
tion,  and  then  passes  the  knife  and  meat  together  to  his 
next  neighbor.  In  cutting  off  a  mouthful  of  meat  the 
knife  passes  so  close  to  their  lips,  that  nothing  but  constant 
habit  could  insure  them  from  the  danger  of  the  most  ter 
rible  gashes ;  and  it  would  make  an  English  mother  shud 
der  to  see  the  manner  in  which  children  five  or  six  years 
old,  are  at  all  times  freely  trusted  with  a  knife  to  be  used 
in  this  way." 

Most  of  the  birds  and  quadrupeds  upon  which  they  rely 
are  migratory,  and  only  to  be  taken  between  the  months 
' 


472  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

of  May  and  October.  In  March,  April  and  May,  the  dif 
ficult  and  dangerous  hunting  of  the  seal  and  walrus  is  their 
only  resource,  and  success  in  the  pursuit  their  only  refuge 
from  starvation.  The  "  kaiak "  or  canoe,  constructed  of 
skins,  and  capable  of  containing  but  a  single  person,  is  all- 
essential  in  seal-hunting.  Great  dexterity  is  required  in 
its  management,  and  how  the  operation  of  throwing  the 
dart  or  harpoon,  and  of  securing  the  bulky  prey,  can  be 
carried  on  in  safety  in  such  a  slender  and  unsteady  con 
veyance,  seems  incomprehensible  to  the  unpractised  eye. 
The  frail  boat  is  built  with  great  elegance  and  lightness.  A 
frame  of  .slender  beams  of  fir  is  constructed,  twenty  or 
twenty-five  feet  in  length,  a  little  less  than  two  feet  in 
breadth,  and  about  one  foot  deep.  This  is  entirely  covered 
with  the  skin  of  the  neitiek,  or  small  seal,  so  neatly  and 
strongly  sewed  as  to  be  perfectly  water-tight.  A  circular 
hole  is  then  cut  in  the  deck,  wherein  sits  the  solitary  nav 
igator,  urging  the  kaiak  forward  by  means  of  a  paddle  hav 
ing  a  blade  at  each  end.  He  cannot  founder  so  long  as  he 
can  maintain  an  upright  position.  An  upset  would  be  in 
evitable  destruction  to  one  unacquainted  with  the  nature  of 
the  craft,  but  the  Esquimaux  readily  rights  the  kaiak  under 
such  circumstances,  by  a  dexterous  use  of  his  paddle.  A 
float  is  attached  to  the  harpoon,  used  in  striking  the  seal, 
which  prevents  him  from  escape  by  diving.  As  he  reap 
pears,  after  a  momentary  submersion,  his  pursuers  press 
upon  and  speedily  despatch  him. 

When  the  prey  is  brought  to  land,  the  duty  of  flaying, 
separating,  and  preparing  it  for  preservation,  devolves 
upon  the  women.  Nothing  is  allowed  to  be  wasted,  but 
every  portion  of  the  carcass  is  applied  to  some  useful  pur 
pose  ;  the  fastidiousness  of  the  whites,  touching  the  portions 
suitable  for  food,  being  utterly  unknown.  The  lean  meat 
of  the  seal  and  other  animals  is  preserved  in  various  ways. 
Much  of  it  is  cut  in  thin  slices,  and  dried  in  the  warm  and 


NORTHERN   RACES.  473 

smoky  atmosphere  of  the  huts,  and  a  concentrated  article 
of  food,  called  "  Pemmican,"  is  prepared  by  pounding  it 
with  fat. 

The  welcome  event  of  a  wounded  or  dead  whale  being 
driven  on  shore,  brings  down  the  whole  neighboring  pop 
ulation  to  share  in  the  spoil.  Nothing  could  be  more 
valuable  to  these  people  than  the  various  substances  ob 
tained  from  the  enormous  carcass.  The  blubber  is  sepa 
rated  and  preserved  for  oil;  the  coarse  muscular  tissue 
forms  to  them  a  palatable-  article  of  food  ;  the  sinews  serve 
for  lines  and  cordage  ;  and  the  whale-bone  is  made  avail 
able  by  traffic  with  Europeans. 

Of  the  reindeer,  two  species  furnish  food  and  clothing 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  cold  regions  of  northern  America, 
although,  singularly  enough,  none  of  them  have  succeeded 
in  domesticating  the  animal.  They  are  accustomed  to 
discard  no  portion  of  the  flesh,  and  even  devour  the  con 
tents  of  the  stomach.  Perhaps  in  no  instance  has  the  ser 
vice  of  an  animal  proved  of  more  signal  aid  and  comfort 
to  any  race  than  that  of  the  dog  to  the  Esquimaux.  The 
principal  use  to  which  he  is  applied  is  that  of  drawing  the 
sledge,  but,  upon  hunting  excursions,  in  the  summer,  he  is 
loaded  with  a  weight,  it  is  said,  of  some  thirty  pounds. 
The  sledges  in  which  winter  journeys  are  performed,  are 
drawn  by  a  number  of  dogs  proportionate  to  the  weight  to 
be  transported,  the  distance  to  be  traversed,  and  perhaps 
the  possessions  of  the  owner.  The  animals  are  separately 
connected  with  the  sledge,  at  unequal  distances,  by  single 
thongs  of  leather  or  hide.  The  most  sagacious  and  well- 
trained  of  the  pack  is  placed  at  the  end  of  the  longest 
tether,  some  twenty  feet  from  the  vehicle,  to  act  as  leader, 
and  the  intelligence  and  certainty  with  which  he  obeys  the 
signal  of  command  from  the  driver  is  very  striking. 

The  whip  with  which  the  movements  of  the  team  are 
guided,  and  with  which  the  refractory  or  stupid  are  disci- 


474  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

plined,  consists  of  a  short  stock  —  only  eighteen  inches  in 
length  —  to  which  a  lash,  long  enough  to  reach  the  leading 
dog,  is  attached,  and  allowed  to  trail  beside  the  sledge. 
This  lash  is  rendered  pliable  by  a  process  resorted  to  for 
preparing  leather  for  various  purposes,  viz.  :  that  of  chew 
ing.  The  operation  is  performed  by  the  women,  and  to  its 
constant  exercise,  some  travellers  attribute  the  bad  condi 
tion  of  their  teeth,  before  noticed.  The  sledge  is  composed 
of  two  runners,  of  wood  or  bone,  —  sometimes  of  the  jaw 
bones  of  a  whale,  —  connected  by  cross-pieces  and  lashings. 
Moss  is  packed  closely  between  these,  and  skins  are  laid 
upon  the  top.  The  runners  are  preserved  from  wear,  and 
made  to  slide  easily  over  the  surface  of  the  snow  by  coat 
ing  them  with  smooth  ice. 

The  Esquimaux  perform  journeys  of  sixty  miles  a  day, 
with  a  single  pack  of  dogs,  and  stories,  at  first  glance  al 
most  incredible,  are  told  of  the  distances  accomplished,  and 
the  weights  transported  by  particularly  fine  specimens  of 
the  breed.  Besides  serving  as  a  beast  of  burden  and 
draught,  the  Esquimaux  dog  is  a  bold  and  active  assistant 
in  the  hunt  for  reindeer,  bears,  &c.  ;  but,  singularly 
enough,  while  he  will  rush  upon  an  animal,  so  much  his 
superior  in  size  and  strength  as  the  bear,  he  is  terror- 
stricken  at  the  sight  of  the  wolf,  to  whom  he  bears  a  strik 
ing  resemblance,  and  with  whom  he  would  seem  more 
equally  matched. 

Faithful  and  docile,  and  subsisting  upon  the  coarsest 
refuse,  the  dog  supplies  to  the  Esquimaux  the  place  of  the 
reindeer,  in  other  high  latitudes,  for  all  laborious  service. 
He  meets  with  nothing  but  rough  treatment  and  scanty 
fare  :  his  master  never  caresses  or  makes  much  of  him ; 
but  this  does  not  prevent  him  from  forming  the  strong  at 
tachments  peculiar  to  the  race. 

No  where  do  we  find  a  system  of  patriarchal  government 
maintained  in  more  primeval  simplicity  than  among  the 


NORTHERN  RACES.  475 

Esquimaux,  and  no  where  is  that  authority  more  mildly 
administered.  Families  and  communities  live  together  in 
the  greatest  harmony,  and  no  one  arrogates  to  himself  a 
control  over  those  about  him  beyond  the  circle  of  his  own 
family.  Dexterity  and  success  in  fishing  and  hunting  form 
almost  the  only  claim  for  admiration  or  distinction  in  the 
eyes  of  this  unsophisticated  people.  So  peaceful  and  con 
tented  a  life,  amid  the  eternal  snows  of  the  north,  with 
such  few  means  of  comfort  and  enjoyment,  stands  forth  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  private  discontent  and  public 
animosity  of  more  privileged  nations. 

Where  the  natives  of  Greenland  and  other  countries  at 
the  north  have  held  free  intercourse  with  Europeans,  in 
stances  have  been  found,  among  them,  of  much  higher  in 
telligence  than  is  usually  attributed  to  the  race.  Captain 
Parry,  in  his  second  voyage,  particularly  describes  a  female 
named  Iligliuk.  Her  correct  ear  for  music,  and  apprecia 
tion  of  its  beauties,  were  very  remarkable  ;  and  the  inter 
est  and  attention  which  all  the  novel  mechanical  arts  exer 
cised  on  board  the  ship  excited  in  her  mind,  gave  evidence 
of  no  little  capacity  for  improvement. 

We  cannot  give  a  better  idea  of  the  effect  which  inter 
course  with  foreigners  has  produced  upon  some  of  the  Es 
quimaux,  in  changing  their  original  quiet  and  unobtrusive 
demeanor,  than  by  the  following  quotation  from  Captain 
Lyon  : 

"  I  could  not  but  compare  the  boisterous,  noisy,  fat  fel 
lows,  who  were  along-side,  in  excellent  canoes,  with  well- 
furnished,  iron-headed  weapons,  and  handsome  clothing, 
with  the  poor  people  we  had  seen  at  Southampton  Island ; 
the  latter  with  their  spear-heads,  arrows,  and  even  knives 
of  chipped  flint,  without  canoes,  wood,  or  iron,  and  with 
their  tents  and  clothes  full  of  holes,  yet  of  mild  manners, 
quiet  in  speech,  and  as  grateful  for  kindness  as  they  were 
anxious  to  return  it,  while  those  now  along-side  had,  per- 


476  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

haps,  scarcely  a  virtue  left,  owing  to  the  roguery  they  had 
learned  from  their  annual  visit  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  ships. 
An  air  of  saucy  independence,  a  most  clamorous  demand 
for  presents,  and  several  attempts  at  theft,  some  of  which 
were  successful,  were  their  leading  characteristics.  Yet  I 
saw  not  why  I  should  constitute  myself  the  censor  of  these 
poor  savages ;  and  our  barter  was  accordingly  conducted 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  enrich  them  very  considerably." 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  ESQUIMAUX  OF  MELVILLE  PENINSULA.— THEIR  STATURE  AND 
COSTUME.  —  SNOW  HUTS  AND  THEIR  FURNITURE.  —  IMPLEMENTS 
FOR  HUNTING  AND  SEALING.  —  MENTAL  TRAITS. 

THE  most  complete  picture  ever  yet  given  of  Esquimaux 
life  and  peculiarities,  is  to  be  found  in  "  Parry's  Second 
Voyage  in  search  of  a  North-west  Passage  ; "  particularly 
in  that  portion  of  the  work,  at  the  end  of  the  narrative, 
devoted  to  an  "  account  of  the  Esquimaux  ,of  Melville  Pe 
ninsula  and  the  adjoining  Islands."  It  is  our  purpose,  in 
this  chapter,  to  give  a  brief  outline  of  the  statistics  and 
details  there  collected. 

Respecting  their  general  appearance,  Parry's  descrip 
tion  of  the  natives  does  not  vary  materially  from  that 
which  we  have  already  given.  He  represents  their  stature 
as  follows  :  the  "  average  height  of  the  men,  five  feet,  five 
and  one-third  inches  ;  of  the  women,  five  feet  and  one-half 
inch."  The  women  appear  shorter  than  this  standard,  from 
a  stoop  acquired  by  carrying  their  infants  in  a  "  hood," 
and  from  the  great  bulk  of  their  clothing.  They  arc  not 
an  ill-formed  race,  and,  among  the  tribe,  were  "  three  or 
four- grown-up  people,  of  each  sex,  who,  when  divested  of 
their  skin  dresses,  their  tattooing,  and,  above  all,  of  their 


NORTHERN   RACES.  477 

dirt,  might  have  been  considered  pleasing-looking,  if  not 
handsome  people,  in  any  town  in  Europe." 

They  wear  their  hair  generally  long  ;  the  men  allow 
ing  it  to  flow  carelessly,  while  the  women  dispose  it  in 
two  plaits  or  queues,  which  hang  down  on  each  side  of 
the  face. 

Their  dress  bears  marks  of  no  little  skill  and  nicety  of 
finish,  and  is  admirably  calculated  to  defend  them  from 
the  terrible  severity  of  the  winter  season.  A  double  outfit 
of  jackets,  breeches,  and  boots,  made 'of  deer  and  seal 
skins  ;  the  inner  suit  having  the  hair  turned  inward,  while 
the  outer  garment  exhibits  a  hairy  defence  against  the 
snow  or  rain,  is  essential  upon  all  occasions  of  exposure 
to  the  open  air.  Water-proof  boots  and  shoes,  made  of 
seal-skin,  form  a  complete  protection  from  the  wet  when 
the  men  are  engaged  in  fishing  and  sealing.  A  warm 
and  comfortable  hood  of  furs  covers  the  head  and  neck, 
and  surrounds  the  face.  The  most  absurd  and  ungainly 
portion  of  the  dress  of  either  sex  is  the  boot  worn  by  the 
women.  This  is  enormously  enlarged,  for  the  purpose  of 
furnishing  a  convenient  pocket  or  general  receptacle  for 
whatever  may  be  carried  upon  the  person.  The  cavity  is 
even  large  enough  to  admit  of  a  child  being  stowed  in  it  — 
a  common  custom  in  Labrador. 

All  their  clothing  is  strongly  and  neatly  stitched,  and 
no  little  pains  is  taken  to  render  it  ornamental  by  a  judi 
cious  arrangement  of  light  and  dark  furs. 

The  true  Indian  taste  for  beads  and  showy  ornaments 
prevails,  and  is  satisfied,  when  other  materials  are  wanting, 
by  affixing  numberless  strings  of  the  teeth  of  wild  animals 
to  the  borders  of  their  garments.  In  one  instance,  "  a  row 
of  foxes'  noses  "  was  seen  "  attached  to  the  forepart  of  a 
woman's  jacket  like  a  tier  of  black  buttons." 

All  the  women  of  this  tribe  were  thoroughly  tattooed. 
The  manner  of  performing  this  operation  was  by  passing 


478 


INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


a  needle   and  thread  through  the  outer  skin,  the  thread 
being  saturated  with  oil  and  lampblack. 


The  internal  arrangements  of  the  circular  snow-huts  in 
which  the  winter  is  passed,  are  as  follows  :  Around  each 
room,  next  the  wall,  a  bank  of  snow  is  built  to  the  height 
of  two  or  three  feet,  upon  which  are  placed,  first  a  coating 
of  pebbles,  then  a*  row  of  tent-poles,  paddles,  and  whale 
bone,  and  above  all  a  layer  of  birch  twigs.  Upon  these 
are  spread  the  skins  and  furs  which  constitute  the  bedding 
of  the  inmates.  It  is  evident  that  quite  a  low  temperature 
must  be  maintained  in  order  to  preserve  both  house  and 
furniture.  The  only  means  of  warming  the  huts -is  by  a 
sort  of  lamp,  consisting  of  a  shallow  dish  wrought  of  stone 
(lapis  ollaris),  "  its  form  being  the  lesser  segment  of  a 
circle.  The  wick,  consisting  of  dry  moss  rubbed  between 
the  hands  till  it  is  quite  inflammable,  is  disposed  along 
the  edge  of  the  lamp  on  the  straight  side,  and  a  greater 
or  smaller  quantity  lighted  according  to  the  heat  required 
or  the  fuel  that  can  be  afforded."  The  flame  is  fed  by 
the  drippings  of  a  slice  of  fat  or  blubber,  suspended  with 
in  reach  of  the  blaze.  The  stone  pots  for  cooking  are 
hung  over  this  lamp,  and,  above  all,  is  a  net,  stretched 
upon  a  hoop,  whereon  wet  boots  and  other  garments  are 
placed  to  dry. 

The  general  atmosphere  of  the  apartment  is  kept  a  little 
below  the  freezing  point.  Parry  observed  the  thermome 
ter,  at  a  time  when  it  fell  to  twenty-five  degrees  below 
zero  in  the  open  air,  to  stand  at  thirty-two  degrees  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  fire  ;  and  this  when  the  hut  was  filled 
with  Indians  and  dogs.  To  increase  the  warmth,  occasions 
a  troublesome  dripping  from  the  roof,  an  inconvenience 
to  which  the  inhabitants  are  obliged  to  submit  during 


NORTHERN   RACES.  479 

some  of  the  spring  months,  before  the  season  has  become 
mild  enough  for  dwelling  in  tents. 

The  principal  household  utensils  are  the  lamps  and  pots 
above  mentioned,  certain  cups  of  the  horn  of  the  musk-ox, 
vessels  of  whalebone,  and  the  ivory  or  iron  knife.  The 
latter,  or  at  least  the  material  of  which  it  is  composed,  is 
obtained  by  commerce  with  the  whites.  They  manufacture 
themselves  a  knife,  having  a  thin  iron  edge  let  into  the 
bone  which  forms  the  blade.  To  a  limited  extent  some  of 
the  Esquimaux  obtain  and  manufacture  iron  from  the  iron 
pyrites  found  in  certain  localities,  and  which  serves  them 
for  flint  and  steel  in  lighting  fires. 

The  implements  for  hunting,  in  use  among  these  Esqui 
maux,  are  simple  but  effective.  The  "  siatko,"  which 
serves  the  purpose  of  a  harpoon  in  taking  seals,  walruses, 
and  even  whales,  is  a  particularly  ingenious  contrivance. 
It  consists  of  a  short  piece  of  bone,  pointed  with  iron,  and 
attached  by  the  centre  to  the  "  allek,"  or  long  thong  of 
leather.  The  blunt  end  of  the  siatko  is  fitted  to  the  end 
of  the  dart,  and  is  attached  by  a  line,  that  it  can  be  disen 
gaged  the  instant  the  dart  strikes  the  prey.  From  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  slung,  it  instantly  turns  at  right 
angles  to  the  direction  of  its  entrance,  and  will  endure  a 
very  severe  strain  before  it  can  be  drawn  out.  At  the 
other  end  of  the  "  allek  "  is  tied  an  inflated  seal-skin,  which 
serves  to  bring  the  animal  quickly  to  the  surface  of  the 
water. 

For  their  bows,  they  are  obliged  to  use  the  wood  of  the 
fir-tree,  and,  in  order  to  give  them  the  requisite  strength 
and  elasticity,  they  are  very  artfully  and  neatly  served 
with  lines  constructed  of  sinews.  At  each  end  of  the  bow, 
is  a  knob  of  bone,  and  to  these  the  strengthening  lines 
are  attached  and  drawn  tight,  while  the  bow  is  bent  back 
ward.  They  pass  from  end  to  end,  on  the  back  of  the 
bow,  and  are  secured  and  assisted  by  other  shorter  cords 


480  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

fastened  by  hitches  round  the  wood.  The  above  descrip 
tion  applies  to  the  best  weapons  of  the  sort.  —  "  A  bow  in. 
one  piece,"  says  the  narrative,  "  is  very  rare :  they  gen 
erally  consist  of  from  two  to  five  pieces  of  bone,  of  une 
qual  lengths,  secured  together  by  rivets  and  tree-nails." 
The  arrows  are  of  wood  and  bone  united,  and  have  heads 
of  iron  or  slate.  They  will  inflict  a  mortal  wound  at  a 
distance  of  forty  or  fifty  yards. 

In  the  construction  of  all  these  implements,  a  knife  and 
drill  are  the  principal  tools  used.  The  latter  operates  with 
a  bow,  like  that  in  common  use  among  us. 

It  is  evident  that  intellectual  advancement  is  entirely 
incompatible  with  such  a  life  as  we  have  described.  The 
ideas  of  the  supernatural  entertained  by  the  Esquimaux 
are  vague  in  the  extreme.  "  They  do  not  appear,"  says 
the  description  in  Parry,  "to  have  any  idea  of  the  exist 
ence  of  One  Supreme  Being,  nor,  indeed,  can  they  be  said 
to  entertain  any  notions  on  this  subject  which  may  be  dig 
nified  with  the  name  of  religion." 

O 

Of  certain  games,  consisting  mostly  in  fantastic  distor 
tions  of  the  body,  and  comical  ejaculations,  they  are  never 
weary  ;  and  a  strange  monotonous  song,  of  which  the 
words  and  music  are  given  by  Parry,  furnishes  amusement 
until  the  performers  desist  from  sheer  weariness. 

Their  moral  character  is  probably  upon  a  par  with  that 
of  most  savages.  They  do  not  possess  the  high,  indom 
itable  spirit,  the  scorn  of  suffering,  the  clannish  fury  of 
patriotism,  nor  the  fondness  for  war,  so  commonly  consid 
ered  the  nobler  traits  of  the  American  aborigines  ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  they  are  more  kindly  domestic  in  their  feel 
ings,  and  less  cruel  and  revengeful  than  their  brethren  at 
the  south. 

They  exhibit  little  gratitude  for  favors,  and  when  ex 
posed  to  the  strong  temptation  presented  them  by  the  pres 
ence  of  such  a  magazine  of  treasure  as  a  foreign  ship,  they 


NORTHERN  RACES.  481 

will  generally  indulge  in  pilfering.  Those  travellers  who 
have  been  most  familiar  with  the  strange  race,  accord  to 
them  many  pleasing  qualities  :  while  their  vices  are  such  as 
must  naturally  result  from  their  destitute  and  hopeless  con 
dition.  Their  whole  history  might  prove  unspeakably  val 
uable  to  us  did  we  wisely  gather  from  it  a  lesson  of  content. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  KNISTENEAUX,  CHIPPEWAS,  ETC. 

THE  Knisteneaux,  or  Crees,  are  a  nation  materially  dif 
ferent  from  the  Esquimaux.  They  have  a  much  nearer 
resemblance  than  that  people  to  the  other  North  American 
tribes,  and,  from  close  analogies  in  language,  are  considered 
as  a  branch  of  the  great  Algonquin  stock,  which,  centring 
in  the  Canadas,  spread  over  such  an  extent  of  the  North 
American  continent. 

The  country  formerly  occupied  by  the  Knisteneaux  — 
for  the  ravages  of  the  small-pox  have  in  late  years  misera 
bly  reduced  their  numbers  —  is  of  vast  extent  ;  lying  be 
tween  the  United  States  and  the  Esquimaux  region,  and 
extending  westward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  line  of 
their  occupation  is  thus  given  by  Mackenzie  :  commencing 
with  the  coast  of  Labrador,  it  extends  along  the  north  bank 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  Montreal.  "  The  line  then  follows 
the  Utawas  river  to  its  source  ;  and  continues  from  thence 
nearly  west  along  the  high  lands  which  divide  the  waters 
that  fall  into  Lake  Superior  and  Hudson's  Bay.  It  then 
proceeds  till  it  strikes  the  middle  part  of  the  river  Wini- 
pic,  following  that  water  through  the  Lake  Winipic,  to  the 
discharge  of  the  Saskatchawan  into  it ;  from  thence  it  ac 
companies  the  latter  to  Fort  George,  when  the  line  striking 


482  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

by  the  head  of  the  Beaver  river,  to  the  Elk  river,  runs 
along  its  banks  to  its  discharge  in  the  Lake  of  the  Hills  ; 
from  which  it  may  be  carried  back  east  to  the  Isle  a  la 
Crosse,  and  so  on  to  Churchill  by  the  Mississippi.  The 
whole  of  the  tract  between  this  line  and  Hudson's  Bay 
and  Straits,  (except  that  of  the  Esquimaux  in  the  latter,) 
may  be  said  to  be  exclusively  the  country  of  the  Knis- 
teneaux."  They  were  also  to  be  found  upon  Red  river, 
(which,  after  uniting  with  the  Assinaboin,  empties  into 
Lake  Winipic,)  and  upon  the  south  branch  of  the  Sas- 
katchawan. 

These  people  possess  all  the  ordinary  characteristics  of 
the  American  Indian ;  the  copper  complexion,  black  flow 
ing  hair,  well-proportioned  limbs,  and  keen  black  eyes. 
Travellers  speak  of  the  women  as  being  far  more  attractive 
in  personal  appearance  than  the  generality  of  squaws. 
Upon  them  devolves  all  the  drudgery  of  domestic  life,  while 
the  men  devote  their  exclusive  attention  to  hunting  or  war. 

We  notice  no  very  material  variation,  except  so  far  as 
climate  and  the  nature  of  their  country  have  affected  their 
habits,  between  the  dress,  habitations,  luxuries,  ceremonies, 
and  general  usages  of  the  Knisteneaux,  and  the  great  body 
of  our  western  Indians.  They  are  spoken  of  as  of  a  friend 
ly  and  hospitable  disposition,  and  no  more  dishonest  in 
their  dealings  than  other  savages,  although  some  have  given 
them  the  reputation  of  being  arrant  thieves. 

Little  of  distinctive  character  attaches  to  the  various 
minor  tribes  of  the  north,  until  we  reach  the  Esquimaux, 
with  whom  little  or  no  commerce  is  held  by  these  nations, 
and  with  whom,  from  time  immemorial,  they  have  waged  a 
desultory  warfare.  Mackenzie  describes  individuals  and  vil 
lages  of  the  Red-Knives,  Beavers  Indians,  Dog-Ribs,  Hares, 
Slaves,  Duguthee  Dines  (quarrellers),  and  many  others  ; 
but  they  have  no  history,  and  few  noticeable  peculiarities. 

Those  farthest   north  are   of  rather  a  lighter  complex- 


FOR 


NORTHERN   RACES.  485 

ion  than  the  inhabitants  of  more  temperate  climes,  and  ex 
hibit  the  deteriorating  influence  of  a  life  in  a  cold  and 
desolate  country. 

Some  interesting  details  of  the  habits  and  character  of 
the  Dog-Ribs,  are  given  in  the  account  of  Sir  John  Rich 
ardson's  Arctic  Searching  Expedition.  They  are  rather  a 
low  order  of  the  race,  and  have  held  sufficient  intercourse 
with  the  whites  to  be  aware  of  their  own  deficiencies  and 
wants.  They  are  nevertheless  cheerful,  and  even  hilari 
ous,  and  exhibit  little  or  none  of  that  proud  and  stoical 
spirit  which  marks  the  more  celebrated  Indian  nations. 

They  are  grossly  improvident,  although  warned  by  re 
peated  and  terrible  experience  of  famine  and  suffering. 
When  game  is  plenty,  a  scene  of  general  waste  and  reple 
tion  is  presented,  to  be  followed  by  the  utmost  misery  and 
want.  In  a  country  where  the  animals  upon  which  the 
natives  depend  for  subsistence  are  migratory  and  uncertain 
in  their  habits,  such  changes  of  condition  must  be  of  fre 
quent  occurrence. 

When  accounts  are  brought  of  success  on  the  part  of  the 
hunting  parties,  the  whole  population  of  a  village  put 
themselves  at  once  en  route  to  share  the  spoil.  If  the  deer 
should  have  shifted  their  quarters  before  the  arrival  of  the 
troop,  and  the  place  of  rendezvous  be  far  from  home,  the 
return  is  accompanied  with  the  greatest  danger  and  dis 
tress.  Many  of  the  aged  and  infirm  are  frequently  left  to 
perish  under  such  circumstances. 

Of  several  families  of  this  nation,  with  whom  Mackenzie 
held  some  intercourse,  he  says  :  "  They  are  a  meagre,  ugly, 
ill-made  people,  particularly  about  the  legs,  which  are  very 
clumsy,  and  covered  with  scabs".  The  latter  circumstance 
proceeds,  probably,  from  their  habitually  roasting  them  be 
fore  the  fire.  Many  of  them  appeared  to  be  in  a  very  un 
healthy  state,  which  is  owing,  as  I  imagine,  to  their  natural 
filthiness." 

28 


486  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  Chippewas  are  spread  over  a  vast  region  at  the 
north,  the  limits  of  which  it  would,  perhaps,  be  impossible 
accurately  to  define.  Mackenzie,  writing  about  the  year 
1790,  lays  down  the  tract  occupied  by  tribes  who  speak 
substantially  the  same  language,  as  follows :  "  It  begins  at 
Churchill,  and  runs  along  the  lines  of  separation  between 
them  and  the  Knisteneaux,  up  the  Mississippi,  to  the  Isle 
a  la  Crosse,  passing  on  through  the  Buffalo  Lake,  River 
Lake,  and  Portage  la  Loche  :  from  thence  it  proceeds  by 
the  Elk  River,  to  the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  and  goes  directly 
west  to  the  Peace  River ;  and  up  that  river  to  its  source 
and  tributary  waters ;  from  whence  it  proceeds  to  the 
waters  of  the  River  Columbia ;  and  follows  that  river  to 
latitude  fifty-two  degrees  twenty-four  minutes  north,  and 
longitude  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  degrees  fifty-four 
minutes  west,  where  the  Chepewyans  have  the  Atnah  or 
Chin  nation  for  their  neighbors.  It  then  takes  a  due  line 
west  to  the  sea-coast." 

The  coast  Indians,  on  the  Pacific,  differ  from  those  of 
whom  we  are  now  treating.  In  the  vicinity  of  Behring's 
Straits,  they  are  Esquimaux,  but  as  we  proceed  southward, 
we  find  distinct  and  separate  races. 

The  Chippewas,  according  to  the  writer  above-quoted, 
are  a  quiet  peaceable  race,  of  a  timorous  disposition  and 
wandering  habits.  They  take  great  pains  to  prepare  their 
dress  so  as  to  resist  the  extreme  cold,  and  so  well  are  they 
protected  in  this  respect,  that  when  arrayed  in  the  warm 
furs  and  skins  which  form  the  winter  attire,  one  of  the 
tribe  "  will  lay  himself  down  on  the  ice  in  the  middle  of  a 
lake,  and  repose  in  comfort ;  though  he  will  sometimes  find 
a  difficulty  in  the  morning  to  disencumber  himself  of  the 
snow  drifted  on  him  during  the  night."  The  women  are  not 
bad-looking,  but  the  hard  service  of  drawing  loaded  sledges, 
and  the  continued  necessity  of  wearing  the  bulky  and  pon 
derous  snow-shoe,  give  them  a  shuffling  and  awkward  gait. 


NORTHERN   RACES.  487 

Great  ingenuity  and  skill  are  displayed  by  the  Chippe- 
was,  particularly  by  those  dwelling  upon  the  head-waters 
of  the  Mississippi,  in  the  construction  of  their  birch-bark 
canoes.  Probably  in  no  other  part  of  the  world  are  boats 
to  be  found  so  light  and  portable,  and  yet  capable  of  car 
rying  an  equal  burden.  They  are  commonly  made  of  a 
single  roll  of  the  bark,  neatly  and  strongly  sewed,  and  so 
shaped,  by  the  adaptation  of  light  thwarts  or  braces,  as  to 
be  both  graceful  and  swift.  It  requires,  however,  no  little 
adroitness  to  manage  one  of  these  light  crafts,  as  the  weight 
of  the  canoe  is  so  trifling  as  to  aid  very  little  in  the  pre 
servation  of  equilibrium.  Sketches  of  Chippewa  canoes 
are  given  by  Mr.  Catlin,  and  contrasted  with  the  awkward 
tubs  of  the  Mandans. 

Mackenzie  says  that  these  people  are  not  like  the  Knis- 
teneaux  and  most  other  North  American  Indians,  reserved 
and  distant  in  their  communications  with  strangers  or  with 
each  other  after  a  long  separation ;  and  that  they  do  not 
exhibit  those  extremes  of  alternate  energy  and  indolence 
so  noticeable  in  other  races. 

In  such  a  country  as  they  inhabit  their  food  must,  of 
course,  be  almost  entirely  animal.  They  are  more  skilled 
in  fishing,  and  in  snaring  deer,  beaver,  &c.,  than  in  the 
more  active  methods  of  securing  game.  Like  the  Esqui 
maux,  although  they  prefer  their  meat  cooked,  they  can 
well  make  a  shift  to  eat  it  without  any  preparation,  when 
unable  to  procure  fuel.  On  their  journeys  they  are  sup 
ported  by  the  nutritious  and  portable  preparation  called 
pemmican,  which  we  have  before  mentioned  as  in  use 
among  the  Esquimaux.  It  is  made  in  the  following  man 
ner  :  thin  slices  of  lean  meat  are  dried  over  a  fire,  or  by 
alternate  exposure  to  sun  and  frost,  and  then  pounded 
between  stones.  A  quantity  of  boiling  fat,  equal  to  the 
mass  of  meat,  is  then  poured  upon  it,  and  the  whole  is 
closely  packed  in  bags  or  basket.  No  salt  or  other  con- 


488  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

diment  is  used  in  the  operation,  but,  in  some  instances, 
the  pemmican  is  made  savory  by  the  addition  of  marrow 
and  dried  berries. 

Some  of  the  men  are  observed  to  be  furnished  with  a 
thick  bushy  beard;  but,  generally  speaking,  the  custom 
of  eradicating  this  appendage  is  common  to  the  Chippe- 
was,  as  to  most  other  of  the  Indian  nations.  Tattooing  is 
common  among  both  sexes,  and  serves  as  a  distinguishing 
mark  of  the  different  tribes. 


VARIOUS  NATIONS  AND   TRIBES 

BETWEEN  THE  MISSISSIPPI  AND  THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

CHAPTER   I. 


THE  SIOUX,  OR  DAHCOTAS,  AND  OTHER  TRIBES  OF  THE  SAME  RACE : 
CLASSIFICATION.  —  THE  MANDANS :  THEIR  NUMBER,  SITUATION, 
VILLAGES,  ETC. —  THEIR  CEMETERIES.  —  AFFECTIONATE  REMEM 
BRANCE  OF  THE  DEAD. 


AN  accurate  classification  of  the  American  Indians,  either 
founded  upon  dissimilarities  in  the  language  of  different 
tribes,  or  upon  differences  in  physical  peculiarities,  is  im 
possible,  particularly  in  treating  of  the  scattered  and  wan 
dering  people  of  the  far  west.  The  races  vary  by  such 
slight  shades  of  distinction,  and  such  analogies  exist  be 
tween  their  languages,  that  even  where  the  distinction  is 
perfectly  evident  in  the  nation  at  large,  the  line  of  de 
marcation  can  with  difficulty  be  drawn.  In  other  instances, 
the  same  nation,  when  divided  into  separate  clans,  inhabit 
ing  districts  of  dissimilar  nature,  and  resorting  to  different 
modes  of  life,  will  be  found,  in  the  course  of  one  or  two 
generations,  to  present  the  appearance  of  distinct  races. 

Perhaps  it  would  be  wiser  to  accept  the  popular  divisions, 
whether  derived  directly  from  the  natives,  or  established 
by  those  most  familiar  with  them,  than  to  attempt  any 
refined  distinctions.  In  an  essay  upon  natural  history, 
or  in  researches  into  historical  antiquities,  a  particularity 
might  be  useful  or  necessary,  which  in  an  outline  of  his 
tory  and  description  would  be  but  perplexing  and  tedious. 

(489) 


490  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

A  vast  wilderness  at  the  west,  upon  the  Missouri  and  the 
upper  western  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi,  is  inhabited 
by  the  various  tribes  allied  to  the  Sioux  or  Dahcotas.  One 
of  the  earliest  accounts  given  of  these  people,  then  known 
as  the  Naudowessies,  is  to  be  found  in  the  Travels  of  Cap 
tain  Jonathan  Carver,  who  spent  the  winter  of  1766-7 
among  them.  Of  later  observations  and  descriptions,  by 
far  the  most  interesting  and  complete  are  contained  in  the 
published  letters  of  Mr.  George  Catlin,  accompanied  as  they 
are  by  spirited  and  artistic  portraits  and  sketches  of  scenery. 

Those  of  this  race  known  as  the  proper  Sioux,  soi  disant 
Dahcotas,  are  mostly  established  upon  the  river  of  St.  Peter 
and  in  the  country  adjacent.  Some  of  the  eastern  tribes 
are  more  or  less  agricultural,  but  the  others  are  wild  hunt 
ers  like  their  brethren  of  the  far  west.  The  Sioux  were 
divided,  a  century  since,  into  the  following  eight  tribes  :  the 
Wawpeentowas,  the  Tintons,  the  Afracootans,  the  Maw- 
haws  (Omawhas),  and  the  Schians,  all  of  whom  dwelt  in 
the  prairie  country,  upon  the  St.  Peter,  and  three  other 
clans  of  the  then  unexplored  region  to  the  westward.  The 
Assinaboins  anciently  belonged  to  the  same  stock. 

By  Mr.  Gallatin  the  race  is  divided  as  follows  :  "  1.  The 
Winnebagos,  of  Wisconsin  ;  2.  The  Sioux  proper,  or  Dah 
cotas,  and  the  Assinaboins ;  3.  The  Minetari  and  tribes 
allied  to  them  ;  4.  The  Osages,  and  other  kindred  tribes," 
farther  south. — (Pritchard's  Natural  History  of  Man).  The 
Minetari  are  held  to  include  the  Crows  and  the  Mandans. 

To  a  description  of  this  last  people,  now,  as  a  separate 
race,  entirely  extinct,  Mr.  Catlin  has  devoted  no  small 
portion  of  his  interesting  descriptions  of  western  adventure. 
They  differed  widely  from  all  other  American  Indians  in 
several  particulars.  The  most  noticeable  of  these  were  the 
great  diversity  in  complexion  and  in  the  color  and  texture 
of  the  hair.  When  visited  by  this  traveller/gin  1832,  the 
Mandans  were  established  at  two  villages,  only  two  miles 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  491 


asunder,  upon  the  left  bank   of  the   Missouri,  about 
hundred  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone. 

There  were  then  not  far  from  two  thousand  of  the  tribe, 
but,  from  their  own  traditions,  and  from  the  extensive 
ruins  of  their  former  settlement  —  some  distance  below  —  it 
was  evident  that  their  numbers  had  greatly  decreased. 
The  principal  town  was  strongly  fortified  upon  the  pre 
cipitous  river  bank,  on  two  sides  defended  by  the  winding 
stream,  and  on  the  other  by  picketing  of  heavy  timber, 
and  by  a  ditch.  The  houses  within  were  so  closely  set  as 
to  allow  of  little  space  for  locomotion.  They  were  par 
tially  sunk  in  the  ground,  and  the  roofs  were  covered 
with  earth  and  clay  to  such  a  depth  and  of  such  consis 
tency  that  they  afforded  the  favorite  lounging  places  for 
the  occupants. 

"  One  is  surprised,"  says  Catlin,  "  when  he  enters  them, 
to  see  the  neatness,  comfort,  and  spacious  dimensions  of 
these  earth-covered  dwellings.  They  all  have  a  circular 
form,  and  are  from  forty  to  sixty  feet  in  diameter.  Their 
foundations  are  prepared  by  digging  some  two  feet  in  the 
ground,  and  forming  the  floor  of  earth,  by  levelling  the 
requisite  size  for  the  lodge."  The  building  consisted  of  a 
row  of  perpendicular  stakes  or  timbers,  six  feet  or  there 
about  in  height,  supporting  long  rafters  for  the  roof.  A 
hole  was  left  in  the  centre  for  air,  light,  and  the  escape  of 
smoke.  The  rafters  were  supported  in  the  middle  by 
beams  and  posts  :  over  them  was  laid  a  thick  coating  of 
willow  brush,  and  over  all  the  covering  of  earth  and  clay. 
An  excavation  in  the  centre  of  the  hut  was  used  as  a  fire 
place.  Each  of  these  houses  served  for  a  single  family,  or 
for  a  whole  circle  of  connections,  according  to  its  dimen 
sions.  The  furniture  consisted  of  little  more  than  a  rude 
sort  of  bedsteads,  with  sacking  of  buffalo  skin,  and  some 
times  an  ornamental  curtain  of  the  same  material.  Posts 
were  set  in  the  ground,  between  the  beds,  provided  with 


492  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

pegs,  from  which  depended  the  arms  and  acoutrements  of 
the  warriors. 

"  This  arrangement  of  beds,  of  arms,  &c.,"  continues  our 
author,  "  combining  the  most  vivid  display  and  arrange 
ment  of  colors,  of  furs,  of  trinkets  —  of  barbed  and  glis 
tening  points  and  steel  —  of  mysteries  and  hocus  pocus, 
together  with  the  sombre  and  smoked  color  of  the  roof 
and  sides  of  the  lodge  ;  and  the  wild,  and  rude,  and  red  — 
the  graceful  (though  uncivil)  conversational,  garrulous, 
story-telling,  and  happy,  though  ignorant  and  untutored 
groups,  that  are  smoking  their  pipes  —  wooing  their  sweet 
hearts,  and  embracing  their  little  ones  about  their  peace 
ful  and  endeared  firesides  ;  together  with  their  pots  and 
kettles,  spoons,  and  other  culinary  articles  of  their  own 
manufacture,  around  them  ;  present,  altogether,  one  of  the 
most  picturesque  scenes  to  the  eye  of  a  stranger  that  can 
be  possibly  seen  ;  and  far  more  wild  and  vivid  than  could 
ever  be  imagined." 

If  the  sight  within  the  dwellings  was  novel  and  striking, 
much  more  so  was  that  which  occupied  the  painter's  atten 
tion  as  he  surveyed,  from  the  roof  of  one  of  these  domes, 
the  motley  scene  of  busy  life  without.  In  the  centre  of 
tbe  village  an  open  court  was  left  for  purposes  of  recrea 
tion  and  for  the  performances  of  the  national  religious 
ceremonies.  Upon  the  rounded  roofs  of  the  domicils 
numerous  busy  or  indolent  groups  were  sitting  or  loung 
ing  in  every  possible  attitude,  while  in  the  central  area 
some  were  exercising  their  wild  horses,  or  training  and 
playing  with  their  dogs.  Such  a  variety  of  brilliant  and 
fanciful  costume,  ornamented  with  plumes  and  porcupine 
quills,  with  the  picturesque  throng  of  Indians  and  animals, 
the  closely  crowded  village,  the  green  plain,  the  river,  and 
the  blue  hills  in  the  distance,  formed  a  happy  subject  for 
the  artist. 

Without  the  picket  of  defence,  the  only  objects  visible^ 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  495 

of  man's  construction,  were  the  scaffoldings  upon  which 
the  dead  were  exposed.  The  manner  in  which  the  funeral 
rites  of  the  Mandans  were  conducted,  with  the  subsequent 
details,  constitutes  the  most  touching  portion  of  the  au 
thor's  narrative.  The  body  of  the  dead  person  was  tightly 
wrapped  and  bound  up  in  fresh  or  soaked  buffalo  skins, 
together  with  the  arms  and  acoutrements  used  in  life,  and 
the  usual  provision  of  tobacco,  flint  and  steel,  knife,  and 
food.  A  slight  scaffold  is  then  prepared,  of  sufficient 
height  to  serve  as  protection  from  the  wolves  and  dogs, 
and  there  the  body  is  deposited  to  decay  in  the  open  air. 

Day  after  day  those  who  had  lost  friends  would  come 
out  from  the  village  to  this  strange  cemetery,  to  weep  and 
bewail  over  their  loss.  Such  genuine  and  long-continued 
grief  as  was  exhibited  by  the  afflicted  relatives  puts  to 
shame  the  cold-heartedness  of  too  many  among  the  culti 
vated  and  enlightened.  When,  after  the  lapse  of  years, 
the  scaffolds  had  fallen,  and  nothing  was  left  but  bleached 
and  mouldering  bones,  the  remains  were  buried,  with  the 
exception  of  the  skulls.  These  were  placed  in  circles  upon 
the  plain,  with  the  faces  turned  inward,  each  resting 
upon  a  bunch  of  wild  sage ;  and  in  the  centre,  upon  two 
slight  mounds,  "  medicine-poles  "  were  erected,  at  the  foot 
of  which  were  the  heads  and  horns  of  a  male  and  a  female 
buffalo.  To  these  new  places  of  deposit,  each  of  which 
contained  not  far  from  one  hundred  skulls,  "  do  these 
people,"  says  Catlin,  "  again  resort,  to  evince  their  further 
affection  for  the  dead  —  not  in  groans  and  lamentations, 
however,  for  several  years  have  cured  the  anguish  ;  but 
fond  affections  and  endearments  are  here  renewed,  and 
conversations  are  here  held,  and  cherished,  with  the 
dead." 

The  wife  or  mother  would  sit  for  hours  by  the  side  of 
the  white  relic  of  the  loved  and  lost,  addressing  the  skull 
with  the  most  affectionate  and  loving  tones,  or,  perchance 


496  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

lying  down  and  falling  asleep  with  her  arms  around  it. 
Food  would  be  nightly  set  before  many  of  these  skulls, 
and,  with  the  most  tender  care,  the  aromatic  bed  upon 
which  they  reposed  would  be  renewed  as  it  withered  and 
decayed. 


CHAPTER    II. 

PERSONAL    APPEARANCE    AND    PECULIARITIES     OF    THE    MANDANS 

THEIR  HOSPITALITY  AND  URBANITY.  —  THEIR  CLEANLINESS  OP 
PERSON.  — THEIR  DRESS.  —  PORTRAITS  OF  MANDAN  CHIEFS.  — CON 
TRAST  BETWEEN  THE  WILD  TRIBES  AND  THOSE  OF  THE  FRON 
TIER.  —  MANDAN  DOMESTIC  USAGES. —  GAMES  AND  DANCES.— 
TRAINING  OF  THE  YOUTH.  — THE  GREAT  ANNUAL  RELIGIOUS  CER 
EMONY.— THE  MANDANS  SUPPOSED  TO  BE  OF  WELSH  DESCENT.— 
ANNIHILATION  OF  THE  TRIBE  BY  THE  SMALL-POX. 

UNLIKE  the  other  Indian  tribes  of  the  west,  the  Man- 
dans,  instead  of  presenting  a  perfect  uniformity  in  com 
plexion,  and  in  the  color  of  the  eyes  and  hair,  exhibited 
as  great  diversity  in  these  respects  as  will  be  noticed  in  a 
mixed  population  of  Europeans.  Their  hair  was,  for  the 
most  part,  very  fine  and  soft,  but  in  a  number  of  in 
stances  a  strange  anomaly  was  observable,  both  in.  old 
and  young,  and  in  either  sex,  viz.  :  a  profusion  of  coarse 
locks  of  "  a  bright  silvery  gray,"  approaching  sometimes 
to  white. 

Some  of  the  women  were  quite  fair,  with  blue  eyes,  and 
the  most  symmetrical  features,  combined  with  a  very  at 
tractive  and  agreeable  expression.  It  does  not  appear 
probable  that  sufficient  intermixture  with  European  races 
had  ever  taken  place  to  account  for  these  peculiarities,  and 
some  authors  appear  quite  convinced  that  these  Mandans 
are  the  remains  of  a  great  people,  entirely  distinct  from  the 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  497 

nations  around  them.  Of  Mr.  Catlin's  researches  and  con 
clusions  respecting  their  origin,  we  shall  take  occasion  to 
speak  hereafter. 

In  their  disposition  the  Mandans  were  hospitable  and 
friendly ;  affectionate  and  kind  in  their  treatment  of  each 
other  ;  and  mindful  of  the  convenience  and  comfort  of  the 
stranger.  Their  figures  were  beautifully  proportioned,  and 
their  movements  and  attitudes  graceful  and  easy.  Instead 
of  the  closely-shorn  locks  of  some  other  races,  they  wore 
their  hair  long.  The  men  were  particularly  proud  of  this 
appendage,  and  were  at  no  small  pains  to  arrange  it  in 
what  they  esteemed  a  becoming  manner.  It  was  thrown 
backward  from  the  forehead,  and  divided  into  a  number 
of  plaits.  These  were  kept  in  their  position  by  glue  and 
some  red-tinted  earth,  with  which  they  were  matted  at 
intervals.  The  women  oiled  and  braided  their  hair,  part 
ing  it  in  the  middle  ;  the  place  of  parting  was  universally 
painted  red. 

A  greater  degree  of  cleanliness  was  observable  in  their 
persons  than  is  common  among  savages.  A  particular 
location  was  assigned,  at  some  distance  from  the  village, 
up  the  river,  where  the  women  could  resort  undisturbed 
for  their  morning  ablutions.  A  guard  was  stationed,  at 
intervals,  upon  a  surrounding  circle  of  rising  ground,  to 
prevent  intrusion.  Those  of  both  sexes  and  all  ages  were 
excellent  swimmers ;  scarcely  was  one  to  be  found  who 
could  not  with  ease  cross  the  Missouri  in  this  manner. 
Their  only  boats  were  round  tubs  made  by  stretching  buf 
falo-skins  over  a  light  frame-work.  The  form  and  capacity 
of  these  clumsy  water-craft,  were  strikingly  similar  to  that 
of  the  coracles  used  in  Wales  and  upon  other  portions  of 
the  coast  of  Great  Britain. 

As  an  additional  means  of  luxury,  and  as  an  efficient 
remedy  in  case  of  sickness,  a  hut  was  devoted  to  the  pur 
pose  of  a  steam-bath.  This  was  effected  by  pouring  water 


498  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

upon  heated  stones,  over  which  the  patient  was  placed, 
wrapped  in  buffalo-robes,  in  a  wicker-basket.  The  opera 
tion  was  always  followed  up  by  a  plunge  into  the  river, 
and  a  subsequent  rubbing  and  oiling  of  the  body.  Such 
a  mode  of  treatment  produced  terrible  effects,  in  after  times, 
when  the  small-pox  spread  through  the  tribe. 

The  dress  of  the  Mandan  warriors,  although  in  its  gen 
eral  fashion  similar  to  that  of  the  neighboring  tribes,  was 
singularly  rich  and  elaborate.  It  was  formed  entirely  of 
skins :  a  coat  or  hunting-shirt  of  buck-skin ;  leggins  and 
moccasins  of  the  same  material,  beautifully  fringed,  and 
embroidered  with  porcupine  quills  ;  and  an  outer  mantle 
of  the  fur  of  a  young  buffalo,  formed  the  principal  equip 
ment.  The  covering  for  the  head  was  more  elaborate,  and 
was  constructed,  by  all  who  could  obtain  the  materials,  of 
ermine  skins,  and  feathers  of  the  war-eagle.  So  high  a 
value  was  set  upon  these  head-dresses,  that  Mr.  Catlin,  after 
having  bargained  for  the  entire  suit  of  a  chief,  whose  por 
trait  he  had  just  painted,  was  obliged  to  give  two  horses, 
of  the  value  of  twenty -five  dollars  each,  for  the  crowning 
ornament.  Some  few  chiefs  had  attained  a  height  of  au 
thority  and  renown  which  entitled  them  to  add  to  their 
head-dress  a  pair  of  buffalo-horns,  reduced  in  size  and 
weight,  and  arranged  as  they  grew  upon  the  animal.  The 
custom  was  not  confined  to  the  Mandans,  but  a  similar 
ornament  is  widely  considered  as  symbolic  of  power  and 
warlike  achievements  among  the  western  Indians. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  pride  and  delight  of  the  chiefs 
of  the  tribe,  after  their  first  apprehensions  at  the  novelty 
of  the  proceeding  were  allayed,  at  the  sight  of  their  own 
portraits,  for  which  they  were  induced  to  sit  by  our  author. 
He  was  constituted  and  proclaimed  from  the  moment  of 
the  first  exhibition,  a  "  great  medicine-man,"  and  old  and 
young  thronged  to  see  and  to  touch  the  worker  of  such  a 
miracle.  All  declared  that  the  pictures  were,  at  least  par- 


M  AND  AN  CHIEF. 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  501 

tially,  alive  :  for  from  whatsoever  side  they  were  beheld, 
still  the  eyes  were  seen  fixed  upon  the  beholder.  An  idea 
was  started,  and  obtained  a  temporary  credence,  that  some 
portion  of  the  life  of  the  person  represented  must  have 
been  abstracted  by  the  painter,  and  that  consequently  his 
term  of  existence  must  be  shortened.  It  was  moreover 
feared,  lest,  by  the  picture's  living  after  the  death  of  the 
original,  the  quiet  rest  of  the  grave  should  be  troubled. 

By  a  most  ingenious  and  judicious  policy  in  adopting  a 
mode  of  explanation  suited  to  the  capacity  of  his  hearers, 
and  by  wisely  ingratiating  himself  with  the  chiefs  and 
medicine-men,  Mr.  Catlin  succeeded  in  stilling  the  commo 
tion  excited  by  such  suggestions  and  suspicions.  He  was 
held  in  high  estimation,  and  feasted  by  the  principal  men 
of  the  tribe,  whose  portraits  he  obtained  for  his  invaluable 
collection. 

It  is  only  among  such  remote  tribes  as  the  one  which 
forms  the  subject  of  our  present  consideration,  that  any 
adequate  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  true  Indian  character. 
The  gluttony,  drunkenness,  surliness,  and  "  shiftlessness  " 
of  the  degraded  race,  that  has  caught  the  vices  of  the 
white  man,  without  aiming  at  his  civilization,  are  strongly 
contrasted  with  the  abstemiousness,  self-respect,  and  native 
dignity  of  the  uncontaminated.  "  Amongst  the  wild  In 
dians  in  this  country,"  says  Catlin,  "there  are  no  beggars  — 
no  drunkards  —  and  every  man,  from  a  beautiful  natural 
precept,  studies  to  keep  his  body  and  mind  in  such  a 
healthy  shape  and  condition  as  will  at  all  times  enable 
him  to  use  his  weapons  in  self-defence,  or  struggle  for  the 
prize  in  their  manly  games." 

The  usual  custom  of  polygamy  was  universally  practised 
among  the  Mandans,  by  all  whose  rank,  position  and 
means  enabled  them  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements, 
and  pay  the  stipulated  price  for  their  wives.  The  girls 
were  generally  sold  by  their  parents  at  a  very  early  age, 


502  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

and,  as  among  most  barbarous  nations,  their  fate  was  a  life 
of  toil  and  drudgery.  Their  time  must  be  almost  con 
stantly  employed  in  getting  fuel,  cultivating  corn  and 
squashes,  preparing  pemmican  and  other  dried  stores  for 
winter,  and  in  dressing  and  embroidering  the  buffalo-robes 
which  their  lord  and  master  accumulated  for  trade  with  the 
whites. 

Notwithstanding  this  apparently  degraded  position,  we 
are  informed  that  the  women  were  seemingly  contented 
with  their  lot,  that  they  were  modest  in  their  deportment, 
and  that  "  amongst  the  respectable  families,  virtue  "  was 
<(  as  highly  cherished,  and  as  inapproachable  as  in  any 
society  whatever." 

White  traders  among  the  extreme  western  tribes  are 
said  to  be  almost  universally  in  the  custom,  from  motives 
of  policy,  and  perhaps  from  inclination,  of  allying  them 
selves  to  one,  at  least,  of  the  principal  chiefs,  by  a  tempo 
rary  espousal  of  his  daughter.  In  many  instances  they 
indulge  in  a  plurality.  This  is  a  position  greatly  sought 
after  by  the  young  women,  as  they  are  enabled  by  it  to 
indulge  their  native  fondness  for  display,  and  are  freed 
from  the  toil  usually  incident  to  their  existence. 

The  men  and  boys,  leading  a  life  of  ease,  except  when 
engaged  upon  a  hunt,  practised  a  great  variety  of  games 
and  athletic  sports,  some  of  them  very  curious  and  origi 
nal.  Horse-racing,  ball-playing,  archery,  &c.,  never  failed 
to  excite  and  delight  them.  An  endless  variety  of  dances, 
with  vocal  and  instrumental  accompaniments,  served  for 
recreation  and  religious  ceremonials.  Every  word  and 
step  had  some  particular  and  occult  signification,  for  the 
most  part  known  only  to  those  initiated  in  the  mysteries 
of  "  medicine." 

In  times  of  scarcity,  when  the  buffalo  herds  had  wan 
dered  away  from  the  vicinity,  so  far  that  the  hunters  dared 
not  pursue  them,  for  fear  of  enemies,  the  "  buffalo  dance  " 


TRIBES   WEST   OP   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  503 

was  performed  in  the  central  court  of  the  village.  Every 
man  of  the  tribe  possessed  a  mask  made  from  the  skin 
of  a  buffalo's  head,  including  the  horns,  and  dried  as  nearly 
as  possible  in  the  natural  shape,  to  be  worn  on  these  occa 
sions.  When  the  wise  men  of  the  nation  determined  upon 
their  invocations  to  attract  the  buffalo  herds,  watchers  were 
stationed  upon  the  eminences  surrounding  the  village,  and 
the  dance  commenced.  With  extravagant  action,  and 
strange  ejaculations,  the  crowd  performed  the  prescribed 
manoeuvres :  as  fast  as  those  engaged  became  weary,  they 
would  signify  it  by  crouching  down,  when  those  without 
the  circle  would  go  through  the  pantomime  of  severally 
shooting,  flaying,  and  dressing  them,  while  new  perform 
ers  took  their  place.  Night  and  day  the  mad  scene  was 
kept  up,  sometimes  for  weeks  together  !  until  the  signal 
was  given  of  the  approach  of  buffalo,  when  all  prepared 
with  joy  and  hilarity  for  a  grand  hunt,  fully  convinced 
that  their  own  exertions  had  secured  the  prize. 

No  less  singular  was  the  ceremonial  resorted  to  when 
the  crops  were  suffering  for  want  of  rain.  A  knot  of  the 
wisest  medicine-men  would  collect  in  a  hut,  where  they 
held  their  session  with  closed  doors,  burning  aromatic  herbs 
and  going  through  with  an  unknown  series  of  incanta 
tions.  Some  tyro  was  then  sent  up  to  take  his  stand  on 
the  roof,  in  sight  of  the  people,  and  spend  the  day  in  invo 
cations  for  a  shower.  If  the  sky  continued  clear,  he  re 
tired  in  disgrace,  as  one  who  need  not  hope  ever  to  arrive 
at  the  dignity  of  a  medicine-man.  Day  after  day  the  per 
formance  continued,  until  a  cloud  overspread  the  skies, 
when  the  young  Indian  on  the  lodge  discharged  an  arrow 
towards  it,  to  let  out  the  rain.  From  their  earliest  youth, 
the  boys  were  trained  to  the  mimic  exercises  of  war  and 
the  chase.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  witness  the  spirit 
with  which  they  would  enact  a  sham  fight  upon  the  open 
prairie.  A  tuft  of  grass  supplied  the  place  of  the  scalp- 


504  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

lock,  and  blunt  arrows  of  grass  or  reeds,  with  wooden 
scalping-knives,  formed  their  innocuous  weapons.  "  If  any 
one,"  says  Catlin,  "  is  struck  with  an  arrow  on  any  vital 
part  of  his  body,  he  is  obliged  to  fall,  and  his  adversary 
rushes  up  to  him,  places  his  foot  upon  him,  and  snatching 
from  his  belt  his  wooden  knife,  grasps  hold  of  his  victim's 
scalp-lock  of  grass,  and  making  a  feint  at  it  with  his  wooden 
knife,  snatches  it  off  and  puts  it  into  his  belt,  and  enters 
again  into  the  ranks  and  front  of  battle." 

O 

This  was  the  true  mode  of  forming  warriors.  The  youth 
grew  to  manhood  with  the  one  idea  that  true  dignity  and 
glory  awaited  him  alone  who  could  fringe  his  garments 
with  the  scalps  of  his  enemies.  Some  of  the  Mandan 
braves,  even  of  their  last  generation,  performed  feats  of 
daring,  and  engaged  in  chivalrous  combats,  which  will 
almost  compare  with  the  deeds  of  Piskaret  or  Hiadeoni 
in  the  early  history  of  the  Iroquois. 

At  the  risk  of  seeming  to  linger  too  long  over  the  his 
tory  and  customs  of  a  single  tribe,  few  in  numbers,  and 
now  extinct,  we  will  give  some  description  of  the  strange 
religious  ceremony  which  occupied  four  days  of  each  return 
ing  year.  The  religious  belief  of  the  Mandans  was,  in  the 
main,  not  unlike  that  of  most  North  American  aborigines ; 
but  some  of  their  self-torturing  modes  of  adoration  and 
propitiation  of  their  deity  were  perfectly  unique.  The 
grand  four  days'  ceremony  had,  according  to  Catlin,  three 
distinct  objects  ;  a  festival  of  thanksgiving  for  the  escape 
of  their  ancestors  from  the  flood  !  of  which  they  had  a 
distinct  tradition,  strikingly  conformable  to  scriptural 
history ;  for  the  grand  "  bull-dance,"  to  draw  the  buffalo 
herds  towards  the  settlement ;  and  to  initiate  the  young 
men,  by  terrible  trials  and  tortures,  into  the  order  of  war 
riors,  and  to  allow  those  whose  fortitude  had  been  fully 
tested  to  give  renewed  proofs  of  their  capacity  of  endur 
ance,  and  their  claim  to  the  position  of  chiefs  and  leaders 


INDIAN  WAR  DANCE. 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  507 

The  period  for  the  ceremony  was  that  in  which  the 
leaves  of  the  willow  on  the  river  bank  were  first  fully 
opened ;  "  for,  according  to  their  tradition,"  says  Catlin, 
"  '  the  twig  that  the  bird  brought  home  was  a  willow  bough, 
and  had  full-grown  leaves  upon  it,'  and  the  bird  to 
which  they  allude  is  the  mourning  or  turtle-dove,  which 
they  took  great  pains  to  point  out  to  me,"  as  a  med 
icine-bird.  The  first  performances  bore  reference  to  the 
deluge,  in  commemoration  of  which  a  sort  of  "  curb  or 
hogshead  "  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  village  court,  sym 
bolical  of  the  "  big  canoe,"  in  which  the  human  race  was 
preserved. 

No  intimation  was  given  by  the  wise  men,  under  whose 
secret  management  the  whole  affair  was  conducted,  of  the 
precise  day  when  the  grand  celebration  should  commence ; 
but  at  sunrise,  one  morning,  Mr.  Catlin  and  his  white  com 
panions  were  aroused  by  a  terrible  tumult  throughout  the 
village.  All  seemed  to  be  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  ex 
citement  and  alarm,  the  cause  of  which  was  unexplainable, 
as  the  object  at  which  all  were  gazing  was  a  single  figure, 
approaching  the  village,  from  a  bluff,  about  a  mile  distant. 
This  personage  soon  entered  within  the  enclosed  space  of 
the  town :  he  was  painted  with  white  clay,  and  carried  a 
lage  pipe  in  his  hand.  He  was  saluted  by  the  principal 
men  of  the  tribe  as  "  Nu-mohk-muck-a-nah,  (the  first  or 
only  man,"  —  in  fact,  none  other  than  Noah  himself,)  —  who 
had  come  to  open  the  great  lodge  reserved  exclusively  for 
the  annual  religious  rites. 

Having  superintended  the  preparation  of  the  medicine- 
house,  and  leaving  men  busy  in  adorning  it  with  willow 
boughs  and  sage,  and  in  the  arrangement  of  divers  skulls, 
both  of  men  and  buffaloes,  which  were  essential  in  the 
coming  mysteries,  Nu-mohk-muck-a-nah  made  the  rounds 
of  the  village,  repeating  before  every  lodge  the  tale  of  the 
great  deluge,  and  telling  how  he  alone  had  been  saved  in 
29 


508 


INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 


his  ark,  and  left  by  the  retiring  waters  upon  the  summit 
of  a  western  mountain  ! 

At  every  hut  he  was  presented  with  some  cutting  instru 
ment,  (such  as  was  supposed  to  have  been  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  ark,)  to  be  thrown  into  the  river  as  a 
sacrifice  to  the  waters. 

Next  day,  having  ushered  the  young  men  who  were  to 
go  through  the  fearful  ordeal  of  self-inflicted  torture  into 
the  sacred  lodge,  and  appointed  an  old  medicine-man  to  the 
office  of  "  O-kee-pah  Ka-se-kah,  (keeper  or  conductor  of 
the  ceremonies,")  he  took  up  his  march  into  the  prairie, 
promising  to  appear  again  on  the  return  of  the  season  in 
the  ensuing  year. 

The  young  warriors,  preparatory  to  undergoing  the  tor 
ture,  were  obliged,  until  the  fourth  day  from  their  entry 
into  the  lodge,  to  abstain  from  food,  drink,  or  sleep !  — 
Meanwhile,  various  strange  scenes  were  enacted  in  the 
•central  area  before  the  house.  The  grand  buffalo- dance, 
a  performance  combining  every  thing  conceivable  of  the 
grotesque  and  extravagant,  was  solemnly  performed  to  in 
sure  a  favorable  season  for  the  chase. 

On  the  fourth  day  commenced  the  more  horrible  portion 
of  the  exercises.  Mr.  Catlin,  as  a  great  medicine-man,  was 
admitted  within  the  lodge  throughout  the  performances, 
and  had  full  opportunity  to  portray,  with  pen  and  pencil, 
the  scenes  therein  enacted.  Coming  forward,  in  turn,  the 
victims  allowed  the  flesh  of  their  breasts  or  backs  to  be 
pierced  with  a  rough  two-edged  knife,  and  splinters  of 
wood  to  be  thrust  through  the  holes.  Enough  of  the 
skin  and  flesh  were  taken  up  to  be  more  than  sufficient 
for  the  support  of  the  weight  of  the  body.  To  these 
splints  cords  let  down  from  the  roof  were  attached,  and 
the  subject  of  these  inflictions  was  hoisted  from  the 
ground.  Similar  splints  were  then  thrust  through  the 
arms  and  legs,  to  which  the  warrior's  arms,  and,  in  some 


TRIBES   WEST   OF  THE   MISSISSIPPI.  509 

cases,  as  additional  weights,  several  heavy  buffalo  heads, 
were  hung. 

Thus  far  the  fortitude  of  the  Indian  sufficed  to  restrain 
all  exhibition  of  pain  \  while  the  flesh  was  torn  with  the 
rude  knife,  and  the  wooden  skewers  were  thrust  in,  a 
pleasant  smile  was  frequently  observable  on  the  young 
warrior's  countenance  ;  but  when  in  the  horrible  position 
above  described,  with  his  flesh  stretched  by  the  splints  till 
it  appeared  about  to  give  way,  a  number  of  attendants 
commenced  turning  him  round  and  round  with  poles,  he 
would  "  burst  out  in  the  most  lamentable  and  heart-rending 
cries  that  the  human  voice  is  capable  of  producing,  crying 
forth  to  the  Great  Spirit  to  support  and  protect  him  in  this 
dreadful  trial." 

After  hanging  until  total  insensibility  brought  a  tempo 
rary  relief  to  his  sufferings,  he  was  lowered  to  the  floor, 
the  main  supporting  skewers  were  withdrawn,  and  he  was 
left  to  crawl  off,  dragging  the  weights  after  him.  The  first 
movement,  with  returning  consciousness,  was  to  sacrifice  to 
the  Great  Spirit  one  or  more  of  the  fingers  of  the  left 
hand,  after  which  the  miserable  wretch  was  taken  out  of 
the  lodge.  Within  the  court  a  new  trial  awaited  him  ;  the 
last,  but  most  terrible  of  all.  An  active  man  took  his  po 
sition  on  each  side  of  the  weak  anft  mutilated  sufferer,  and, 
passing  a  thong  about  his  wrist,  urged  him  forward  at  the 
top  of  his  speed  in  a  circle  round  the  arena.  When,  faint 
and  weary,  he  sank  on  the  ground,  the  tormentors  dragged 
him  furiously  around  the  ring  until  the  splints  were  torn 
out  by  the  weights  attached,  and  he  lay  motionless  and 
apparently  lifeless.  If  the  splint  should  have  been  so  deeply 
inserted  that  no  force  —  even  that  of  the  weight  of  individ 
uals  in  the  crowd,  thrown  upon  the  trailing  skulls  —  could 
break  the  integuments,  nothing  remained  but  to  crawl  off  to 
the  prairie,  and  wait  until  it  should  give  way  by  suppuration. 
To  draw  the  skewer  out  would  be  unpardonable  sacrilege. 


510  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

It  is  told  of  one  man  that  he  suspended  himself  from 
the  precipitous  river  bank  by  two  of  these  skewers,  thrust 
through  his  arms,  until,  at  the  end  of  several  days !  he 
dropped  into  the  water,  and  swam  ashore.  Throughout 
the  whole  ordeal,  the  chiefs  and  sages  of  the  tribe  critically 
observed  the  comparative  fortitude  and  endurance  of  the 
candidates,  and  formed  their  conclusions  thereupon  as  to 
which  would  be  the  worthiest  to  command  in  after  time. 

With  all  these  frightful  and  hideous  sights  before  his 
eyes,  or  fresh  in  his  recollection,  our  author  still  maintains, 
and  apparently  upon  good  grounds,  and  in  honest  sin 
cerity,  his  former  eulogium  upon  the  virtues  and  nat 
ural,  noble  endowments  of  these  singular  people.  We 
have  given,  above,  but  a  brief  outline  of  the  mysterious 
conjurations  attendant  upon  the  great  annual  festival : 
many  of  these  lack  interest  from  our  ignorance  of  their 
signification. 

A  favorite  theme  for  theorists,  ever  since  the  early  ages 
of  American  colonization,  has  been  found  in  the  endeavor 
to  trace  a  descent  from  the  followers  of  the  Welsh  voyager, 
Prince  Madoc,  to  sundry  Indian  tribes  of  the  west.  Vague 
accounts  of  Indians  of  light  complexion,  who  could  speak 
and  understand  the  Welsh  language,  are  given  by  various 
early  writers.  They  were  generally  located  by  the  narra 
tor  in  some  indeterminate  region  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
at  a  considerable  distance  above  New  Orleans,  but  no 
where  near  the  Missouri. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  these  ancient  accounts  are  so 
loose  and  uncertain,  as  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  they 
are  founded  upon  striking  and  important  facts.  A  list  of 
Mandan  words,  compared  with  Welsh  of  the  same  signifi 
cation,  has  been  made  public  by  Mr.  Catlin,  in  which  the 
resemblance  is  so  clear,  that  almost  any  theory  would  be 
more  credible  than  that  such  affinity  was  accidental.  This 
author  traced  remains  of  the  peculiar  villages  of  the  Man- 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  511. 

dans  nearly  to  the  mouth,  of  the  Missouri,  and  describes 
others  of  similar  character  to  the  northward  of  Cincinnati. 

He  supposes  that  the  adventurers,  who  sailed  from  Wales 
in  the  year  1170,  and  were  never  thenceforth  heard  from, 
after  landing  at  Florida,  or  near  the  mouth  of  the  Missis 
sippi,  made  their  way  to  Ohio  ;  that  they  there  became 
involved  in  hostilities  with  the  natives,  and  were  eventually 
all  cut  off  with  the  exception  of  the  half-breeds,  who  had 
sprung  up  from  connection  with  the  women  of  the  country  ; 
that  these  half-breeds  had  at  one  time  formed  a  powerful 
tribe,  but  had  gradually  been  reduced  to  those  whom  we 
have  described,  and  had  removed  or  been  driven  farther 
and  farther  up  the  Missouri.  The  arguments  upon  which 
this  hypothesis  is  based  are  drawn  from  a  careful  examina 
tion  of  ancient  western  fortifications  ;  from  physical  pecu 
liarities,  and  the  analogies  in  language  above  referred  to ; 
from  certain  arts  of  working  in  pottery,  &c. ;  and  from  the 
remarkable  and  isolated  position  occupied  by  the  tribe  in 
question  among  hostile  nations  of  indubitable  aboriginal 
characteristics.  The  theory  is,  to  say  the  least,  plausible, 
and  ably  supported. 

In  the  summer  of  1838,  the  small-pox  was  communi 
cated  to  the  Mandans  from  some  infected  persons  on  board 
one  of  the  steamers  belonging  to  a  company  of  fur-traders. 
So  virulent  was  the  disease,  that  in  a  few  weeks  it  swept 
off  the  whole  tribe,  except  a  few  who  fell  into  the  hands 
of  their  enemies,  the  Ricarees.  One  principal  reason  for 
the  excessive  mortality  is  said  to  have  been,  that  hostile 
bands  of  Indians  had  beset  the  village,  and  the  inhabitants 
were  consequently  unable  to  separate,  or  to  place  the  in 
fected  in  an  isolated  position. 

The  scene  of  death,  lamentation,  and  terror  is  said  by 
those  who  witnessed  it  to  have  been  frightful  in  the  ex 
treme.  Great  numbers  perished  by  leaping  into  the  river, 
in  the  paroxysm  of  fever,  being  too  weak  to  swim  out. 


512  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Those  who  died  in  the  village  lay  in  heaps  upon  the  floors 
of  the  huts.  Of  the  few  secured  by  the  Ricarees  who 
took  possession  of  the  depopulated  village,  nearly  all  were 
said  to  have  been  killed  during  some  subsequent  hostilities, 
so  that  now  scarce  a  vestige  of  the  tribe  can  be  supposed 
to  remain. 

The  Mandans  were  probably  all  congregated  at  their 
principal  village  at  the  time  of  the  great  calamity :  the 
other  village  was  situated  two  miles  below,  was  a  small 
settlement,  and  was  used,  as  we  are  led  to  infer,  merely  for 
a  temporary  "  summer  residence  for  a  few  of  the  noted 
families." 

Mr.  Catlin  adds  the  following  items  to  his  account  of  the 
annihilation  of  this  interesting  tribe  :  "  There  is  yet  a  mel 
ancholy  part  of  the  tale  to  be  told,  relating  to  the  ravages 
of  this  frightful  disease  in  that  country  on  the  same  occa 
sion,  as  it  spread  to  other  contiguous  tribes,  the  Minatar- 
rees,  the  Knisteneaux,  the  Blackfeet,  the  Chayennes,  and 
the  Crows,  amongst  whom  twenty-five  thousand  perished 
in  the  course  of  four  or  five  months,  which  most  appalling 
facts  I  got  from  Major  Pilcher,  superintendent  of  Indian 
affairs  at  St.  Louis,  from  Mr.  McKenzie,  and  others." 


TRIBES  WEST  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI.  513 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  SIOUX  CONTINUED.  —  THEIR  MODE  OF  LIFE.  —  MATERNAL  AFFEC 
TION.  —  EXPOSURE  OF  THE  AGED.  -  THE  FAMOUS  QUARRY  OF  RED 
PIPE-STONE.—  NATURE  OF  THIS  MATERIAL.  —  INDIAN  SUPERSTITIONS 
RESPECTING  IT.— THE  BISON  OR  BUFFALO.  —  HORSES  OF  THE  IN 
DIANS.— VARIOUS  MODES  OF  HUNTING  THE  BUFFALO.  —  WASTEFUL 
DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  HERDS. 

THE  Sioux  proper,  known  among  themselves  and  by 
other  Indian  tribes  as  Dahcotas,  are  one  of  the  most,  ex 
tensively  diffused  nations  of  the  west.  From  the  Upper 
Mississippi,  where  they  mingle  with  the  northern  race  of 
Chippewas,  to  the  Missouri,  and  far  in  the  north-west 
towards  the  country  of  the  Blackfeet,  the  tribes  of  this 
family  occupy  the  boundless  prairie. 

Those  living  on  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Peter's  rely  par 
tially,  as  we  have  mentioned,  upon  agriculture,  and  their 
proximity  to  the  white  settlements  has  changed,  and  too 
often  degraded  their  native  character.  The  more  distant 
tribes,  subsisting  almost  entirely  upon  the  flesh  of  the  buf 
falo,  clothed  with  skins,  and  using  the  native  weapons  of 
their  race,  still  remain  in  a  state  of  rude  freedom  and  in 
dependence.  Graphic  descriptions  of  their  wild  life,  their 
skill  and  dexterity  in  the  chase,  and  innumerable  amusing 
and  striking  incidents  of  travel,  and  portraitures  of  private 
and  natural  character,  are  to  be  found  scattered  through 
the  pages  of  Catlin's  interesting  narrative. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  and  touching  traits  of  char 
acter  described  by  this  author,  as  observable  among  the 
Sioux,  is  the  strength  of  maternal  affection.  Infant  chil 
dren,  according  to  the  common  custom  of  western  Indians, 
are  carried,  for  the  first  six  or  seven  months  of  their  ex 
istence,  strapped  immovably  to  a  board,  the  hands  and 
arms  being  generally  left  at  liberty.  A  hoop  protects  the 


514:  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

child's  face  from  injury  in  case  of  a  fall,  and  the  whole 
apparatus  is  often  highly  ornamented  with  fringe  and  em 
broidery.  This  pack  or  cradle  is  provided  with  a  broad 
band,  which  is  passed  round  the  forehead  of  the  mother, 
sustaining  the  weight  of  the  child  pendent  at  her  back. 
Those  who  have  been  most  familiar  with  this  mode  of 
treatment  generally  approve  of  it  as  best  suited  to  the  life 
led  by  the  Indian,  and  as  in  no  way  cruel  to  the  child. 
After  the  infant  has  in  some  degree  acquired  the  use  of  its 
limbs,  it  is  freed  from  these  encumbrances,  and  borne  in  the 
fold  of  the  mother's  blanket. 

"  If  the  infant  dies  during  the  time  that  is  allotted  to  it 
to  be  carried  in  this  cradle,  it  is  buried,  and  the  disconso 
late  mother  fills  the  cradle  with  black  quills  and  feathers, 
in  the  parts  which  the  child's  body  had  occupied,  and 
in  this  way  carries  it  around  with  her  wherever  she  goes 
for  a  year  or  more,  with  as  much  care  as  if  her  infant 
were  alive  and  in  it ;  and  she  often  lays  or  stands  it  against 
the  side  of  the  wigwam,  where  she  is  all  clay  engaged  with 
her  needle-work,  and  chatting  and  talking  to  it  as  famil 
iarly  and  affectionately  as  if  it  were  her  loved  infant, 
instead  of  its  shell,  that  she  was  talking  to.  So  lasting 
and  so  strong  is  the  affection  of  these  women  for  the  lost 
child,  that  it  matters  not  how  heavy  or  cruel  their  load,  or 
how  rugged  the  route  they  have  to  pass  over,  they  will 
faithfully  carry  this,  and  carefully,  from  day  to  day,  and 
even  more  strictly  perform  their  duties  to  it,  than  if  the 
child  were  alive  and  in  it."  —  (Letters  and  Notes  of 
George  Catlin.) 

What  appears,  at  first  glance,  to  be  one  of  the  most 
revolting  and  cruel  customs  of  the  migratory  Sioux  tribes, 
(a  custom  common  to  other  western  nations,)  is  the  expo 
sure  of  the  old  and  infirm  to  perish,  after  they  have  become 
unable  to  keep  up  with  the  tribe.  We  are  told,  however, 
that  dire  necessity  compels  them  to  this  course,  unless  they 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  515 

would — more  humanely,  it  is  true  —  at  once  put  an  end 
to  the  lives  of  such  unfortunates.  The  old  sufferer  not 
only  assents  to  the  proceeding,  but  generally  suggests  it, 
when  conscious  that  he  is  too  weak  to  travel,  or  to  be  of 
any  further  service  among  his  people.  With  some  slight 
protection  over  him,  and  a  little  food  by  his  side,  he  is  left 
to  die,  and  be  devoured  by  the  wolves. 

Certain  tribes  of  this  nation,  far  up  the  Missouri,  are  in 
the  habit  of  performing  various  ceremonies  of  self-torture 
in  their  religious  exercises,  somewhat  analogous  to  those 
of  the  Mandans,  but  seldom,  if  ever,  are  they  carried  to  such 
an  extent  as  we  have  described  in  treating  of  that  tribe. 

In  the  Sioux  country,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
high  ridge,  called  the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  which  separates 
the  head-waters  of  the  St.  Peter's  from  the  Missouri,  is 
situated  the  far-famed  quarry  of  red  pipe-stone.  Pipes  of 
this  formation  are  seen  throughout  the  whole  of  the  west, 
no  other  material  being  considered  suitable.  The  district 
was  formerly  considered  as  a  sort  of  neutral  ground,  where 
hostile  tribes  from  far  and  near  might  harmoniously  resort 
to  supply  the  all-essential  want  of  the  Indian.  Those 
versed  in  the  mysteries  of  Indian  heraldry  have  deciphered 
the  distinguishing  marks  and  escutcheons  of  a  great  num 
ber  of  western  nations,  inscribed  upon  adjacent  rocks.  Of 
late  years  the  Sioux  have  affected  a  monopoly  in  the  prod 
ucts  of  this  quarry,  and  it  was  not  without  the  most  vehe 
ment  opposition  that  Mr.  Catlin  and  his  companions,  led 
by  curiosity  to  visit  the  remote  and  celebrated  place,  were 
enabled  to  make  their  way  through  the  Indian  settlements 
fallen  in  with  on  the  route. 

Throngs  of  dusky  warriors,  at  these  stopping-places, 
would  assemble  to  discuss,  with  great  heat  and  excitement, 
the  true  motives  of  the  strangers.  The  general  impres 
sion  seemed  to  be  that  the  travellers  were  government 
agents,  sent  to  survey  the  locality  for  the  purpose  of  appro- 


516  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

priation,  and  one  and  all  expressed  a  determination  to 
perish  rather  than  relinquish  their  rights  to  this,  their  most 
valued  place  of  resort. 

The  stone  is  obtained  by  digging  to  a  depth  of  several 
feet  in  the  prairie,  at  the  foot  of  a  precipitous  wall  of 
quartz  rocks.  The  whole  geological  formation  of  that  dis 
trict  is  described  as  exceedingly  singular,  and  the  pipe- 
stone  formation  is,  itself,  entirely  unique.  This  material 
is  "harder  than  gypsum,  and  softer  than  carbonate  of 
lime ;  "  it  is  asserted  that  a  precisely  similar  formation  has 
been  found  at  no  other  spot  upon  the  globe.  The  compo 
nent  materials,  according  to  the  analysis  of  Mr.  Catlin's 
specimens,  by  Dr.  Jackson,  of  Boston,  are  as  follows: 
"  water,  8.4  ;  silica,  48.2  ;  alumina,  28.2  ;  magnesia,  6.0  ; 
carbonate  of  lime,  2.6 ;  peroxide  of  iron,  5.0 ;  oxide  of 
manganese,  0.6." 

The  Indians  use  the  stone  only  in  the  manufacture  of 
pipes  ;  to  apply  it  to  any  other  use  they  esteem  the  most 
unheard-of  sacrilege.  From  the  affinity  of  its  color  to  that 
of  their  own  skins  they  draw  some  fanciful  legend  of  its 
formation,  at  the  time  of  the  great  deluge,  out  of  the  flesh 
of  the  perishing  red  men.  They  esteem  it  one  of  the 
choicest  gifts  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  speeches  of  some  Sioux 
chiefs,  through  whose  village  Mr.  Catlin  passed  on  his  way 
to  the  quarry,  may  serve  to  exemplify  the  veneration  with 
which  the  stone  was  regarded. 

"  You  see,"  said  one,  (holding  a  red  pipe  to  the  side  of 
his  naked  arm,)  "  that  this  pipe  is  a  part  of  our  flesh. 
The  red  men  are  a  part  of  the  red  stone.  ('  How,  how  ! ' )  " 
an  expression  of  strong  approbation  from  the  auditors. 

"  If  the  white  men  take  away  a  piece  of  the  red  pipe- 
stone,  it  is  a  hole  made  in  our  flesh,  and  the  blood  will 
always  run.  We  cannot  stop  the  blood  from  running. 
(*  How,  how  ! '  )  The  Great  Spirit  has  told  us  that  the  red 


TRIBES   WEST    OP   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  517 

stone  is  only  to  be  used  for  pipes,  and  through  them  we 
are  to  smoke  to  him.  ('  How  !  ')  " 

The  next  speaker  pronounced  the  stone  to  be  priceless, 
as  it  was  medicine.  Another,  after  a  preliminary  vaunt  of 
his  own  prowess,  and  worthiness  to  be  listened  to,  pro 
ceeded  :  "  We  love  to  go  to  the  Pipe-Stone,  and  get  a 
piece  for  our  pipes  ;  but  we  ask  the  Great  Spirit  first.  If 
the  white  men  go  to  it,  they  will  take  it  out,  and  not  fill 
up  the  holes  again,  and  the  Great  Spirit  will  be  offended. 
('  How,  how,  how  !  ')  " 

Another  —  "  My  friends,  listen  to  me !  what  I  am  to  say 
will  be  truth.  ('  How  ! ')  I  bought  a  large  piece  of  the 
pipe-stone,  and  gave  it  to  a  white  man  to  make  a  pipe  ;  he 
was  our  trader,  and  I  wished  him  to  have  a  good  pipe. 
The  next  time  I  went  to  his  store,  I  was  unhappy  when  I 
saw  that  stone  made  into  a  dish  !  (f  Eugh  ! ') 

"  This  is  the  way  the  white  men  would  use  the  red  pipe 
stone  if  they  could  get  it.  Such  conduct  would  offend  the 
Great  Spirit,  and  make  a  red  man's  heart  sick.  (<  How, 
how  ! ')  " 

Many  of  the  pipes  in  use  among  the  Sioux,  and  formed 
of  this  material,  are  shaped  with  great  labor  and  nicety, 
and  often  in  very  ingenious  figures.  Those  intended  for 
calumets  or  pipes  of  peace,  are  gorgeously  decorated,  but 
even  those  in  ordinary  use  are  generally  made  as  orna 
mental  as  practicable.  The  cavity  is  drilled  by  means  of  a 
hard  stick,  with  sand  and  water  ;  the  outer  form,  with  the 
carvings  and  grotesque  figures,  is  worked  with  a  knife. 

Various  narcotic  herbs  and  leaves,  where  tobacco  is  not 
to  be  obtained,  are  used  for  smoking,  under  the  name  of 
"  knick-knick  ;  "  the  same  term  is  used  among  some  south 
ern  Indians  to  denote  a  mixture  of  tobacco  and  sumach 
leaves. 

In  the  far  west,  both  among  the  Sioux  and  other  wild 
tribes,  as  the  hunt  of  the  buffalo  is  by  far  the  most  impor- 


518  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

tant  occupation  of  the  men,  we  will  devote  some  little  space 
to  a  description  of  the  habits  of  the  animal,  and  the  native 
modes  of  pursuing  and  destroying  it.  The  buffalo,  or 
bison  of  America,  is  found  at  the  present  day  throughout 
no  small  portion  of  the  vast  unsettled  country  between  our 
western  frontier  and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  from  the  south 
ern  parts  of  Texas  to  the  cold  and  desolate  regions  of  the 
north,  even  to  latitude  fifty-five  degrees.  Nowhere  are  these 
animals  more  abundant,  or  in  a  situation  more  congenial 
to  their  increase,  and  the  development  of  their  powers, 
than  in  the  western  country  of  the  Sioux.  During  certain 
seasons  of  the  year,  they  congregate  in  immense  herds,  but 
are  generally  distributed  over  the  country  in  small  com 
panies,  wandering  about  in  search  of  the  best  pasturage. 

They  have  no  certain  routine  of  migration,  although 
those  whose  occupation  leads  to  a  study  of  their  move 
ments  can  in  some  localities  point  out  the  general  course 
of  their  trail ;  and  this  uncertainty  renders  the  mode  of 
subsistence  depended  upon  by  extensive  western  tribes  of 
Indians  exceedingly  precarious. 

The  most  valuable  possessions  of  these  races,  and  the 
most  essential  in  the  pursuit  of  the  buffalo,  are  their  horses. 
These  useful  auxiliaries  are  of  the  wild  prairie  breed,  ex 
tensively  spread  over  the  western  territory,  the  descendants 
of  those  originally  brought  over  by  the  Spaniards  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  They  are  small,  but  strong  and  hardy, 
and  superior  in  speed  to  any  other  of  the  wild  animals  of 
the  prairie.  Numbers  of  them  are  kept  about  the  encamp 
ment  of  the  Indians,  hobbled  so  as  to  prevent  their  straying 
away.  Upon  the  open  prairie  the  bison  is  generally  pur 
sued  upon  horseback,  with  the  lance  and  bow  and  arrow. 
The  short  stiff  bow  is  little  calculated  for  accurate  marks 
manship,  or  for  a  distant  shot :  riding  at  full  speed,  the 
Indian  generally  waits  till  he  has  overtaken  his  prey,  and 
discharges  his  arrow  from  the  distance  of  a  few  feet. 


TRIBES   WEST    OF   THE  MISSISSIPPI.  519 

The  admirable  training  of  the  horse,  to  whom  the  rider 
is  obliged  to  give  loose  rein  as  he  approaches  his  object 
arid  prepares  to  inflict  the  deadly  wound,  is  no  less  notice 
able  than  the  spirit  and  energy  of  the  rider. 

Such  is  the  force  with  which  the  arrow  is  thrown,  that 
repeated  instances  are  related  of  its  complete  passage 
through  the  huge  body  of  the  buffalo,  and  its  exit  upon 
the  opposite  side.  This  near  approach  to  the  powerful  and 
infuriated  animal  is  by  no  means  without  danger.  Al 
though  the  horse,  from  instinctive  fear  of  the  buffalo's 
horns,  sheers  off  immediately  upon  passing  him,  it  is  not 
always  done  with  sufficient  quickness  to  avoid  his  stroke. 
The  hunter  is  said  to  be  so  carried  away  by  the  excitement 
and  exhilaration  of  pursuit,  as  to  be  apparently  perfectly 
reckless  of  his  own  safety  ;  trusting  entirely  to  the  sagacity 
and  quickness  of  his  horse  to  take  him  out  of  the  dangen 
into  which  he  is  rushing. 

The  noose,  or  lasso,  used  in  catching  wild  horses,  is 
often  left  trailing  upon  the  ground  during  the  chase,  to 
afford  the  hunter  an  easy  means  of  securing  and  remount 
ing  his  horse  in  case  he  should  be  dismounted,  by  the 
attack  of  the  buffalo  or  otherwise. 

In  the  winter  season  it  is  common  for  the  Indians  of  the 
northern  latitudes  to  drive  the  buffalo  herds  from  the 
bare  ridges,  where  they  collect  to  feed  upon  the  exposed 
herbage,  into  the  snow-covered  valleys.  The  unwieldy 
beasts,  as  they  flounder  through  the  drifts,  are  easily  over 
taken  by  the  hunters,  supported  by  their  snow-shoes,  and 
killed  with  the  lance  or  bow.  Another  method,  adopted 
by  the  Indians,  is  to  put  on  the  disguise  of  a  white  wolf 
skin,  and  steal  unsuspected  among  the  herd,  where  they  can 
select  their  prey  at  leisure.  Packs  of  wolves  frequently 
follow  the  herds,  to  feed  upon  the  carcasses  of  those  that 
perish,  or  the  remains  left  by  the  hunters.  They  dare  not 
attack  them  in  a  body,  and  are  consequently  no  objects  of 


520  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

terror  to  the  buffaloes ;  but,  should  an  old  or  wounded 
animal  be  separated  from  the  company,  they  collect  around 
him,  and  gradually  weary  him  out  and  devour  him. 

When  buffalo  are  plenty,  and  the  Indians  have  fair  op 
portunity,  the  most  astonishing  and  wasteful  slaughter 
ensues.  Besides  the  ordinary  methods  of  destruction,  the 
custom  of  driving  immense  herds  over  some  precipitous 
ledge,  where  those  behind  trample  down  and  thrust  over 
the  foremost,  until  hundreds  and  thousands  are  destroyed, 
has  been  often  described. 

Even  at  seasons  in  which  the  fur  is  valueless,  and  little 
besides  a  present  supply  of  food  can  be  obtained  by  de 
stroying  the  animal  which  constitutes  their  sole  resource, 
no  spirit  of  forethought  or  providence  restrains  the  wild 
hunters  of  the  prairie.  Mr.  Catlin,  when  at  the  mouth  of 
Teton  river,  Upper  Missouri,  in  1832,  was  told  that  a  few 
days  previous  to  his  arrival,  a  party  of  Sioux  had  returned 
from  a  hunt,  bringing  fourteen  hundred  buffalo  tongues, 
all  that  they  had  secured  of  their  booty,  and  that  these 
were  immediately  traded  away  for  a  few  gallons  of  whiskey. 

The  author  goes,  at  considerable  length,  into  a  calcula 
tion  of  the  causes  now  at  work,  which  must,  in  his  opinion, 
necessarily  result  in  the  entire  extinction  of  these  animals, 
and  the  consequent  destitution  of  the  numerous  tribes  that 
derive  support  from  their  pursuit.  According  to  his  rep 
resentations,  we  "  draw  from  that  country  one  hundred  and 
fifty  or  two  hundred  thousand  of  their  robes  annually,  the 
greater  part  of  which  are  taken  from  animals  that  are 
killed  expressly  for  the  robe,  at  a  season  when  the  meat  is 
not  cured  and  preserved,  and  for  each  of  which  skins  the 
Indian  has  received  but  a  pint  of  whiskey ! 

Such  is  the  fact,  and  that  number,  or  near  it,  are  annu 
ally  destroyed,  in  addition  to  the  number  that  is  necessarily 
killed  for  the  subsistence  of  three  hundred  thousand  In 
dians,  who  live  entirely  upon  them." 


TRIBES   WEST   OP   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  521 

When  this  extermination  shall  have  taken  place,  if,  in 
deed,  it  should  take  place  before  other  causes  shall  have 
annihilated  the  Indian  nations  of  the  west,  it  is  difficult  to 
conceive  to  what  these  will  resort  for  subsistence.  Will 
they  gradually  perish  from  sheer  destitution,  or,  as  has 
been  predicted,  will  they  be  driven  to  violence  and  plunder 
upon  our  western  frontier  ? 


CHAPTER    IV. 

INDIANS  OF  THE  GREAT  WESTERN  PRAIRIES. —  THEIR  SUMMER  AND 
WINTER  LODGES.  — THE  MEDICINE-BAG.  — THE  CROWS  AND  BLACK- 
FEET.— RACES  HOSTILE  TO  THE  LATTER  TRIBE.  —  FORTITUDE  OF 
A  BLACKFOOT  WARRIOR.  — THE  CROW  CHIEF  ARAPOOISH  AND  HIS 
GUEST.— INDIAN  CONCEPTIONS  OF  A  PERFECT  COUNTRY.  —  STORY 
OF  LORETTO  AND  HIS  INDIAN  WIFE.  — ADVENTURES  OF  KOSATO, 
A  BLACKFOOT  WARRIOR. 

UPON  the  Yellowstone,  and  about  the  head-waters  of 
the  Missouri,  the  most  noted  tribes  are  the  Crows  and 
Blackfeet.  Bordering  upon  them  at  the  north  and  north 
east,  are  their  enemies,  the  Ojibbeways,  Knisteneaux,  and 
Assinaboins,  of  some  of  whom  brief  mention  has  been 
made  in  former  chapters.  In  1834  the  Blackfeet  were 
computed  to  number  over  thirty  thousand,  but  when  the 
small-pox  swept  over  the  western  country,  in  1838,  they 
were  frightfully  reduced.  By  the  returns  of  1850,  they 
were  represented  as  amounting  to  about  thirteen  thousand. 

As  these  Indians  are  among  the  farthest  removed  from 
the  contaminating  influence  of  the  whites,  and  as  the 
prairie  abounds  in  all  that  is  requisite  for  their  subsistence, 
viz.,  horses  and  buffalo,  they  present  fine  specimens  of  the 
aboriginal  race.  They  are  of  manly  proportions,  active, 


522  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

and  capable  of  great  endurance :  their  dress  is  particularly 
comfortable  and  ornamental,  bedecked  with  all  the  em 
broidery  and  fringes  characteristic  of  savage  finery. 

The  style  of  dress,  dwellings,  means  of  subsistence,  &*c., 
among  the  Indians  of  the  western  prairies,  is  in  many 
respects  so  similar,  that  we  shall  only  avoid  wearisome 
repetition  by  omitting  minute  descriptions  in  speaking  of 
the  different  tribes. 

The  summer  lodge,  necessarily  made  movable  to  suit 
their  migratory  habits,  is  a  tent  of  buffalo-skins,  supported 
by  pine  poles  brought  from  the  distant  mountains.  These 
skins  are  neatly  and  substantially  stitched  together,  arid 
often  highly  painted  and  ornamented.  The  tent  is  trans 
ported  by  tying  the  poles  in  two  bundles,  the  small  ends 
of  which,  bound  together,  are  hung  over  the  shoulders  of 
a  horse,  while  the  butts  trail  upon  the  ground,  loaded  with 
the  weight  of  the  skins  and  other  paraphernalia  of  the 
lodge.  The  dogs  are  also  pressed  into  the  same  service, 
and  loaded,  in  much  the  same  manner,  with  as  large  a  load 
as  they  can  carry. 

The  cold  winter  is  passed  in  some  spot  protected  by 
high  bluffs  or  heavy  timber,  either  in  these  skin  lodges,  or 
in  rude  wigwams  of  logs. 

It  is  among  these  remote  races  that  we  may  still  see 
many  of  the  ancient  superstitious  observances  (formerly, 
with  slight  variation,  common  to  nearly  the  whole  popu 
lation  of  the  west,)  retained  with  all  their  original  solem 
nity.  One  of  the  most  singular  and  universal  is  the 
preparation  of  a  ((  medicine-bag,"  which  every  man  carries 
with  him  upon  all  occasions,  as  being  intricately  involved 
with  his  own  safety  and  success  in  war,  hunting,  or  any  of 
the  occupations  of  life.  At  about  the  age  of  puberty  the 
Indian  boy  bethinks  himself  of  taking  the  necessary  steps 
for  the  preparation  of  this  mysterious  amulet  or  charm. 
He  retires  to  some  solitary  spot,  where  he  spends  several 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  525 

days,  lying  upon  the  ground,  taking  no  nourishment,  and 
employed  in  continual  fervent  invocations  to  the  Great 
Spirit.  Falling  asleep  in  this  condition,  he  notes  particu 
larly  what  bird  or  animal  first  occurred  to  his  mind  in 
dreams.  He  then  returns  home,  and,  after  recruiting  his 
strength,  busies  himself  in  the  pursuit  of  the  creature  un 
til  he  has  secnred  a  specimen.  This  accomplished,  he 
dresses  the  skin,  stuffs  it  with  moss  or  some  other  light 
substance,  and  devotes  his  attention  to  bedecking  it  with 
the  most  elaborate  ornament. 

This  medicine-bag  can  be  procured  at  no  price,  and  the 
loss  of  it,  even  in  the  heat  of  battle,  is  a  signal  disgrace, 
only  to  be  wiped  out  by  the  seizure  of  a  similar  charm 
from  a  slaughtered  enemy.  "  These  curious  appendages," 
says  Catlin,  "  to  the  persons  or  wardrobe  of  an  Indian,  are 
sometimes  made,  of  the  skin  of  an  otter,  a  beaver,  a  musk- 
rat,  a  weasel,  a  raccoon,  a  pole  cat,  a  snake,  a  frog,  a  toad, 
a  bat,  a  mouse,  a  mole,  a  hawk,  an  eagle,  a  magpie,  or  a 
sparrow  ;  —  sometimes  of  the  skin  of  an  animal  so  large  as 
a  wolf;  and  at  others,  of  the  skins  of  the  lesser  animals, 
so  small  that  they  are  hidden  under  the  drags,  and  very 
difficult  to  be  found,  even  if  searched  for." 

The  strange  and  hideous  conjurations  of  the  medicine 
men  or  necromancers,  who  perform  their  ceremonies  about 
the  sick  or  dying  with  a  view  to  their  relief,  may  be  here 
seen  in  their  utmost  extravagance. 

The  Crows  are  far  inferior  in  numbers  to  the  Blackfeet, 
with  whom  they  are  engaged  in  perpetual  warfare.  They 
inhabit  the  country  adjacent  to  the  Yellowstone,  as  far 
westward  as  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  are 
a  fine  race,  physically  speaking ;  their  average  height  is 
greatly  beyond  that  of  any  of  the  neighboring  tribes,  and 
they  are  models  of  activity  and  strength.  They  have  been 
characterized  as  a  lawless,  thieving  horde  of  savages ;  but 
those  best  acquainted  with  their  character  and  disposition, 
30 


526  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

speak  of  them  as  honest  and  trustworthy,  and  excuse  the 
depredations  of  which  they  have  from  time  to  time  been 
guilty,  as  having  generally  resulted  from  gross  provocation. 
From  whatever  cause,  and  whichever  race  may  have  been 
the  most  in  fault,  it  is  certain  that  the  two  wild  tribes  of 
which  we  are  now  speaking  have  been,  from  the  earliest 
periods  in  which  Europeans  have  penetrated  their  territory, 
objects  of  terror  to  traders  and  trappers. 

One  distinguishing  peculiarity  of  these  Indians,  is  the 
extraordinary  length  of  their  hair,  which  is  cherished  and 
cultivated  as  an  ornament,  until  it  sweeps  the  ground  after 
them.  This  profusion  is  to  be  seen  in  no  tribe  except  the 
Crows,  although  some  of  their  neighbors  endeavor  to  imi 
tate  it,  by  gluing  an  additional  length  to  their  natural  hair. 

The  Crows  speak  a  different  language  from  the  Black- 
feet,  and,  as  we  have  mentioned,  are  continually  at  war 
with  that  tribe.  They  only  number  about  four  thousand, 
and  are  consequently  at  great  disadvantage  in  these  hos 
tilities. 

The  smaller  Minitari  tribes,  between  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone  ^nd  the  site  of  the  Mandan  villages,  and  the 
extensive  nation  of  the  Gros  Ventres,  inhabiting  the  east 
ern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  speak  the  same  lan 
guage  with  the  Crows,  or  one  very  nearly  allied  to  it.  The 
Arapahoes,  numbering  some  three  thousand,  and  dwelling 
about  the  sources  of  the  Platte  and  Arkansas  rivers,  belong 
to  the  race  of  the  Blackfeet. 

The  latter  nation,  besides  their  enemies  at  the  East,  have 
had,  from  an  indefinite  period,  to  contend  with  the  Flat- 
head  and  other  tribes  still  farther  westward.  The  descent 
of  these  remote  bands  upon  the  plains  in  pursuit  of  buffalo, 
has  ever  been  deemed  by  the  Blackfeet  a  signal  infringe 
ment  of  their  rights,  and  fierce  battles  often  result  from 
the  conflicting  claims  of  the  rival  nations.  Although 
other  game  abounds  in  the  mountain  districts  inhabited 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  527 

by  some  of  these  tribes,  nothing  possesses  such  attractions 
for  them  as  the  buffalo  hunt,  and  they  are  ready  to  incur 
any  peril  rather  than  relinquish  this  favorite  pursuit. 

The  Nez-Percds  or  Pierced-Nose  Indians,  the  Flat- 
heads,  and  the  Pends  Oreilles  or  Hanging  Ears,  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  and  their  western  slopes,  and  of  the 
plains  drained  by  the  sources  of  the  Columbia,  are  at  con 
tinual  and  deadly  feud  with  the  Blackfeet.  These  latter 
seem,  indeed,  to  have  their  hands  against  every  man,  with 
the  exception  of  their  kindred  Arapahoes,  to  whom  they 
make  periodical  visits  of  friendship. 

Of  the  skirmishes  between  war-parties  of  these  hostile 
tribes,  their  forays  into  each  other's  territory,  and  the  ex 
ploits  of  their  most  redoubted  warriors,  many  striking  tales 
are  told  by  the  traders  and  trappers  who  visit  these  remote 
regions.  In  Mr.  Irving's  admirable  publication,  "The 
Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville,  U.  S.  A.,  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Far  West,"  arranged  in  the  form  of 
interesting  and  pleasing  narrative,  from  the  captain's  manu 
scripts  and  other  sources,  are  details  of  various  incidents 
illustrative  of  the  character  and  habits  of  these  tribes,  so 
told  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  reader,  and  to  leave 
a  vivid  impression  upon  the  mind. 

In  Cox's  "  Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River,"  fright 
ful  descriptions  are  given  of  the  cruelties  practised  by  the 
Flat-heads  upon  some  Blackfoot  prisoners  who  had  fallen 
into  their  hands.  Such  proceedings  appeared  utterly  va 
riant  from  the  natural  disposition  of  those  Indians,  and 
only  serve  to  show  to  what  lengths  usage,  a  spirit  of  retal 
iation,  and  natural  antipathy,  may  carry  a  people  whose 
general  character  is  gentle  and  kindly. 

The  author  particularly  describes  the  endurance  of  one 
of  the  Blackfoot  braves,  upon  whom  every  species  of  tor 
ture  was  tried  in  vain  attempts  to  overcome  his  fortitude. 
He  exulted  over  his  tormentors,  vaunting  his  own  deeds 


528  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

in  the  following  language  :  "  *  My  heart  is  strong.  —  You 
do  not  hurt  me.  —  You  can't  hurt  me.  —  You  are  fools. — 
You  do  not  know  how  to  torture.  —  Try  it  again.  —  I  don't 
feel  any  pain  yet.  —  We  torture  your  relations  a  great  deal 
better,  because  we  make  them  cry  out  loud,  like  little  chil 
dren.  —  You  are  not  brave  ;  you  have  small  hearts,  and 
you  are  always  afraid  to  fight.'  Then,  addressing  one  in 
particular,  he  said,  ( It  was  by  my  arrow  you  lost  your 
eye  ; '  upon  which  the  Flat-head  darted  at  him,  and  with  a 
knife,  in  a  moment,  scooped  out  one  of  his  eyes ;  at  the 
same  time  cutting  the  bridge  of  his  nose  nearly  in  two. 
This  did  not  stop  him  :  with  the  remaining  eye  he  looked 
sternly  at  another,  and  said,  f  I  killed  your  brother,  and  I 
scalped  your  old  fool  of  a  father.'  The  warrior  to  whom 
this  was  addressed  instantly  sprung  at  him,  and  severed 
the  scalp  from  his  head." 

The  chief  restrained  this  enraged  warrior  from  ter 
minating  the  sufferings  of  the  victim  by  a  blow ;  but  was, 
himself,  immediately  afterwards  so  exasperated  by  his 
taunts  and  insults,  that  he  could  not  withhold  his  own 
hand,  and  shot  the  mangled  wretch  through  the  heart. 

Of  the  Crow  character,  a  very  singular  trait  is  exhibited 
in  an  adventure  of  a  noted  trapper,  Mr.  Robert  Campbell, 
as  given  in  Mr.  Irving's  work,  above  mentioned.  This 
traveller  was  upon  one  occasion  hospitably  entertained  by 
the  celebrated  Crow  chief,  Arapooish,  in  whose  tent  he  had 
deposited  a  large  bundle  of  valuable  furs.  The  greater 
part  of  his  stores  was  buried  in  the  ground  for  safety. 

The  old  chief  ascertained,  during  Campbell's  stay,  that 
his  guest  had  made  a  "  cache,"  (the  French  term  applied 
to  such  places  of  concealment,)  and  that  some  of  his  own 
tribe  had  discovered  and  plundered  it.  The  number  of 
beaver-skins  stolen  was  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

Arapooish  immediately  assembled  all  the  men  of  the 
village,  and  after  making  a  speech,  in  which  he  vehemently 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  529 

declaimed  against  their  bad  faith  towards  the  stranger, 
vowed  that  he  would  neither  touch  food  nor  drink  until 
complete  restoration  should  be  made.  He  then  took  his 
seat  with  the  trapper  in  his  wigwam,  and  awaited  the  re 
sult,  desiring  his  companion  to  make  no  remarks  if  the 
skins  were  brought,  but  simply  to  keep  account  of  them. 

More  than  a  hundred  of  the  stolen  articles  were  brought 
in  before  night,  but  notwithstanding  Campbell's  expressions 
of  satisfaction,  the  old  Indian  would  neither  eat  nor  drink 
throughout  that  night  and  the  next  day.  The  skins  slowly 
made  their  appearance,  "  one  and  two  at  a  time  through 
out  the  day  ;  until  but  a  few  were  wanting  to  make  the 
number  complete.  Campbell  was  now  anxious  to  put  an 
end  to  this  fasting  of  the  old  chief,  and  again  declared 
that  he  was  perfectly  satisfied.  Arapooish  demanded  what 
number  of  skins  were  yet  wanting.  On  being  told,  he 
whispered  to  some  of  his  people,  who  disappeared.  After 
a  time  the  number  were  brought  in,  though  it  was  evident 
they  were  not  any  of  the  skins  that  had  been  stolen,  but 
others  gleaned  in  the  village." 

Arapooish  then  broke  his  fast,  and  gave  his  guest  much 
wholesome  advice,  charging  him  always,  when  he  visited 
a  Crow  village  to  put  himself  and  his  goods  under  protec 
tion  of  the  chief.  Of  CampbelFs  conclusions  upon  the 
character  of  the  race,  Mr.  Irving  says  :  "  He  has  ever  since 
maintained  that  the  Crows  are  not  so  black  as  they  have 
been  painted.  *  Trust  to  their  honor,'  says  he,  '  and  you 
are  safe  ;  trust  to  their  honesty,  and  they  will  steal  the 
hair  off  your  head.'  '* 

The  manner  in  which  old  Arapooish  enlarged  upon  the 
natural  advantages  of  the  Crow  country  in  conversation 
with  Mr.  Campbell  is  too  quaint  to  be  passed  over.  He 
averred  that  it  was  located  in  precisely  the  right  spot  for 
the  security  of  all  that  was  desirable  in  life,  and  the  avoid 
ance  of  its  usual  trials  and  wants.  He  enlarged  upon  the 


580  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

cold  of  the  north,  where  dogs  must  take  the  place  of  horses  ; 
raid  upon  the  barren  and  arid  plains  of  the  south,  replete  with 
pestilential  vapors.  At  the  west,  he  said  :  "  On  the  Colum 
bia,  they  are  poor  and  dirty,  paddle  about  in  canoes,  and 
eat  fish.  Their  teeth  are  worn  out ;  they  are  always  tak 
ing  fish-bones  out  of  their  mouths.  Fish  is  poor  food. 

"  To  the  east,  they  dwell  in  villages  ;  they  live  well ; 
but  they  drink  the  muddy  water  of  the  Missouri  —  that  is 
bad.  A  Crow's  dog  would  not  drink  such  water. 

"  About  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  is  a  fine  country  ;  good 
water  ;  good  grass  ;  plenty  of  buffalo.  In  summer  it  is 
almost  as  good  as  the  Crow  country ;  but  in  winter  it  is 
cold ;  the  grass  is  gone ;  and  there  is  no  salt-weed  for  the 
horses."  —  (Bonneville's  Adventures.) 

Then  followed  an  enthusiastic  enumeration  of  the  bless 
ings  enjoyed  by  the  Crows ;  the  variety  of  climate ;  the 
abundance  of  game ;  the  winter  resources  for  man  and 
beast  ;  and  the  relief  from  the  heat  of  summer  afforded  by 
the  cool  breezes  and  fresh  springs  of  the  mountains. 

In  a  former  chapter,  we  have  devoted  some  little  space 
to  illustrations,  from  Mr.  Catlin's  letters,  of  the  strength  of 
parental  affection  among  the  Western  Indians,  particularly 
the  Sioux :  in  the  work  last  cited  are  numerous  anecdotes 
exemplifying,  in  a  manner  equally  forcible,  the  enduring 
and  powerful  attachment  often  noticeable  between  the 
sexes  ;  and  this  not  only  among  the  Indians  alone,  but 
where  they  have  intermarried  with  whites. 

One  of  these  instances  was  as  follows  :  "  Among  the  free 
trappers  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  band  was  a  spirited  young 
Mexican,  named  Loretto  ;  who,  in  the  course  of  his  wan 
derings,  had  ransomed  a  beautiful  Blackfoot  girl  from  a 
band  of  Crows,  by  whom  she  had  been  captured.  He  made 
her  his  wife,  after  the  Indian  style,  and  she  had  followed 
his  fortunes  ever  since  with  the  most  devoted  affection." 

The  company,  one   day,  fell  in  with  a  numerous  party 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  531 

of  Blackfoot  warriors,  and  the  preliminary  steps  were  taken 
for  a  parley,  and  for  smoking  the  calumet,  in  token  of 
peace.  At  this  moment,  Loretto's  Indian  wife  perceived 
her  own  brother  among  the  band.  "  Leaving  her  infant 
with  Loretto,  she  rushed  forward  and  threw  herself  upon 
her  brother's  neck  ;  who  clasped  his  long-lost  sister  to  his 
heart,  with  a  warmth  of  affection  but  little  compatible  with 
the  reputed  stoicism  of  the  savage." 

Meanwhile,  Bridger,  one  of  the  trapper  leaders,  ap 
proaching  the  Blackfeet,  from  an  imprudent  excess  of  cau 
tion,  cocked  his  rifle  just  as  he  come  up  with  them.  The 
Indian  chief,  who  was  in  the  act  of  proffering  a  friendly 
salutation,  heard  the  click  of  the  lock,  and  all  his  native 
fury  and  suspicion  were  instantly  aroused.  He  sprang 
upon  Bridger,  forced  the  muzzle  of  the  rifle  into  the  ground, 
where  it  was  discharged,  knocked  him  down,  seized  his 
horse,  and  rode  off.  A  general,  but  disorderly  fight  en 
sued,  during  which  Loretto's  wife  was  hurried  away  by  her 
relations. 

The  noble  young  Mexican  saw  her  in  their  power,  vainly 
entreating  permission  to  return,  and,  regardless  of  the  dan 
ger  incurred,  at  once  hastened  to  her  side,  and  restored 
the  child  to  its  mother.  The  Blackfoot  braves  admired  his 
boldness,  and  respected  the  confidence  which  he  had  re 
posed  in  them  by  thus  venturing  in  their  midst,  but  they 
wrere  deaf  to  all  the  prayers  of  himself  and  his  wife  that 
they  might  remain  together.  Pie  was  dismissed  unharmed, 
but  the  woman  and  child  were  detained. 

Not  many  months  afterwards  the  faithful  Loretto  pro 
cured  his  discharge  from  the  company  in  whose  service  he 
was  enlisted,  and  followed  his  wife  to  her  own  country.  A 
happy  reunion  took  place,  and  the  loving  pair  took  up 
their  residence  at  a  trading-house  among  the  Blackfeet, 
where  the  husband  served  as  interpreter  between  the  In 
dians  and  white  traders. 


532  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Another  tale  of  Indian  love  and  rivalry  is  that  of  a  Black- 
foot  warrior,  named  Kosato,  residing  among  the  Nez-Percds 
when  that  tribe  was  visited  by  Bonneville. 

He  had  fallen  in  love  with  the  wife  of  a  chief  of  his  own 
tribe,  and  his  affection  was  returned.  According  to  his 
own  positive  asseverations,  although  they  "talked  together 
—  laughed  together  —  and  were  always  seeking  each  other's 
society,"  they  were  (f  as  innocent  as  children." 

The  jealousy  of  the  husband  was  at  last  completely 
aroused,  and  he  visited  his  vengeance  upon  both  the  offend 
ing  parties.  The  wife  was  cruelly  beaten,  and  sternly  bid 
not  even  to  bestow  a  look  upon  Kosato,  while  the  youth 
himself  suffered  the  loss  of  all  his  horses,  upon  which  the 
chief  had  seized.  Maddened  with  love  and  revenge,  Kos 
ato  waited  his  opportunity  ;  slew  the  object  of  his  hate  ; 
and  hastened  to  entreat  his  mistress  to  ny  with  him.  At 
first  she  only  wept  bitterly,  but  finally,  overcome  by  his 
persuasions,  and  the  promptings  of  her  own  affection,  she 
forsook  her  people,  and  sought,  with  her  lover,  an  asylum 
among  the  peaceful  and  kindly  Nez-Perces. 

Kosato  was  foremost  in  rousing  up  a  warlike  and  manly 
spirit  among  the  tribe  of  his  adoption,  but  he  found  the 
disposition  of  his  new  allies  far  different  from  that  of  the 
hot-blooded  Blackfeet  and  Crows.  "  They  are  good  and 
kind,"  said  he  to  Bonneville  ;  "  they  are  honest ;  but  their 
hearts  arc  the  hearts  of  women." 

From  these  and  numberless  similar  tales,  it  is  sufficiently 
evident  that  the  cloak  of  reserve  in  which  the  Indian  wraps 
himself  from  the  scrutiny  of  strangers,  covers  passions  and 
affections  as  fiery  and  impetuous  as  are  to  be  witnessed  hi 
more  demonstrative  races. 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  533 


CHAPTER    V. 

TRIBES  ON  THE  COLUMBIA  AND  ITS  TRIBUTARIES.  —  THE  NEZ-PERCES.  — 
THEIR  RELIGIOUS  CHARACTER.  —  THE  WALLA-WALLAS.  —  THE  CHI- 
NOOKS.  —  MODE  OF  FLATTENING  THE  HEAD. —THE  BOTOQUE.  —  CA 
NOES  OF  THE  TRIBES  ON  THE  LOWER  WATERS  OF  THE  COLUMBIA. 
—  FISHING.  — HOUSES  OF  THE  FLAT-HEADS. 

THE  principal  tribe  dwelling  within  the  vast  amphitheatre 
drained  by  the  Kooskooske,  westward  from  the  Blackfoot 
country,  and  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  that  of  the 
Nez-Perce*s  or  Pierced-Nose  Indians.  Proceeding  down 
the  river,  we  find  numerous  tribes,  known,  collectively,  as 
Flat-heads,  although  the  physical  peculiarity  from  which 
they  derive  their  name  is  by  no  means  universal. 

Upon  the  main  southern  branch,  the  Lewis  Fork  of  the 
Columbia,  or  Snake  river,  dwell  the  Shoshonees,  or  Snake 
Indians,  a  race  perhaps  more  widely  disseminated  than  any 
other  of  the  present  descendants  of  the  North  American 
aborigines. 

The  Nez-Perce*s  are,  as  mentioned  in  a  preceding  chap 
ter,  a  quiet,  inoffensive  people,  although,  when  fairly 
aroused,  they  are  not  wanting  in  courage  and  efficiency. 
Their  susceptibility  to  religious  impressions  is  remarkable, 
and  their  patient  reliance  upon  and  sincere  invocations  to 
the  Great  Spirit,  in  times  of  want  or  danger,  might  shame 
the  most  enlightened  nation. 

In  a  time  of  great  scarcity  Captain  Bonneville  fell  in 
with  a  party  of  these  Indians,  in  a  state  of  the  utmost  des 
titution.  They  were  subsisting  upon  wild  rose-buds,  roots, 
and  other  crude  and  innutritions  food,  and  their  only 
weapon  was  a  single  spear.  With  this  they  finally  set  out, 
on  horseback,  upon  what  appeared  to  the  whites  an  ut 
terly  hopeless  expedition  in  search  of  game.  They  rode 
off,  however,  with  cheerful  confidence  that  their  prayers 


584  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

would  now  be  heard  by  the  Great  Spirit.  The  under 
taking  was  successful,  and  the  poor  Indians  freely  shared 
the  meat  which  they  had  secured  among  the  hungry 
whites. 

The  kind-hearted  captain,  from  long  observation  of  their 
character,  became  more  and  more  enthusiastic  in  his  admi 
ration  of  the  simplicity,  benevolence,  and  piety  of  the  tribe. 
Some  rude  conceptions  of  Christian  doctrines  and  obser 
vances  had,  in  earlier  times,  been  disseminated  among  them, 
and  they  eagerly  listened  to  such  instruction  upon  these 
topics  as  Captain  Bonne ville  was  enabled  to  convey.  In 
his  own  words  :  "  Simply  to  call  these  people  religious, 
would  convey  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  deep  hue  of  piety  and 
devotion  which  pervades  their  whole  conduct.  Their  hon 
esty  is  immaculate,  and  their  purity  of  purpose,  and  their 
observance  of  the  rites  of  their  religion,  are  most  uniform 
and  remarkable.  They  are  certainly  more  like  a  nation  of 
saints  than  a  horde  of  savages." 

There  are  two  tribes  of  the  Pierced-Nose  Indians,  the 
upper  and  the  lower  :  the  first  of  these  is  that  to  which 
particular  allusion  has  heretofore  been  made  in  connection 
with  Bhickfoot  hostilities.  The  Indians  of  the  lower  tribe 
subsist  upon  fish,  and  upon  deer,  elk,  and  other  game  of 
their  own  country. 

Bonneville  gives  them  almost  as  good  a  character  as  their 
brethren,  the  upper  tribe,  pronouncing  them  "  one  of  the 
purest-hearted  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth."  Other 
travellers  and  traders,  who,  probably  in  consequence  of 
their  own  unscrupulous  villany,  have  experienced  different 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  these  Indians,  naturally  enough 
set  them  down  as  dishonest  and  inhospitable.  As  one 
instance  of  their  generosity  and  kind-heartedness  :  the 
captain's  horse  was  recognized  by  one  of  the  tribe  as  hav 
ing  formerly  been  stolen  from  himself.  He  proved  owner 
ship  incontestably,  but  voluntarily  relinquished  his  claim, 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  535 

saying  :  "  You  got  him  in  fair  trade  —  you  are  more  in 
want  of  horses  than  I  am  :  keep  him  ;  he  is  yours  —  he 
is  a  good  horse  ;  use  him  well." 

Farther  westward,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Columbia, 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Lewis  Fork,  are  found  the  Walla- 
wallas  ;  they  are  not  unlike  the  Pierced-Noses  in  general 
appearance,  language,  and  habits.  They  are  kind  towards 
strangers,  and  in  their  deportment  exhibit  great  decency 
and  decorum.  They  have  plenty  of  horses,  and  maintain 
the  same  border  warfare  with  the  Shoshonees  that  their 
neighbors  farther  up  the  river  are  constantly  waging  with 
the  Blackfeet.  The  cause  of  hostility  is  similar,  viz  :  a  claim 
of  right  of  hunting  within  the  hostile  territory  ;  in  the  one 
case,  for  the  buffalo  ;  in  the  other,  for  the  black-tailed  deer. 

Passing  over  the  Spokans,  Cootonais,  Chaudieres,  Point 
ed  Hearts,  &c.,  &c.,  we  will  describe  a  little  more  at  large 
the  Chinooks,  Flat-heads  in  reality,  as  in  name,  who  dwell 
about  the  lower  portions  of  the  Columbia.  The  horrible 
deformity  of  the  skull,  which  constitutes  their  chief  phys 
ical  peculiarity,  is  produced  by  pressure  upon  the  forehead 
of  the  infant  while  the  bone  is  soft  and  pliable.  The  child 
is  stretched  upon  its  back,  after  the  usual  Indian  fashion, 
and  a  bit  of  board  or  bark  is  so  secured  by  strings  that  it 
can  be  tightened  at  pleasure,  creating  a  steady  pressure 
until  the  head  is  so  flattened  that  a  straight  line  can  be 
drawn  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  unnatural  apex.  The 
operation  occupies  from  a  few  weeks  to  a  year,  or  more,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  the  skull  is  hardened,  and  never 
thereafter  resumes  its  natural  shape.  The  thickness  of  the 
broad  ridge  at  the  back  of  the  head  is  little  over  an  inch. 

This  extensive  displacement  of  the  brain  does  not,  as  far 
as  travellers  have  observed,  effect  any  noticeable  change 
in  the  faculties  of  the  mind.  It  is  an  unaccountable  cus 
tom,  and  is  persisted  in  as  being  an  improvement  upon 
nature  ;  perhaps  from  the  same  ideal  that  suggested  the 


INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

retreating  forehead  characteristic  of  the  ancient  sculptures 
of  Egypt  and  Central  America.  Various  tribes  and  nations 
of  America  were  formerly  in  the  habit  of  flattening  the 
head,  who  have  long  since  ceased  so  to  mar  their  fair  pro 
portions.  Even  in  South  America,  as  we  shall  see  here 
after,  skulls  are  still  found  bearing  evident  marks  of  this 
hideous  distortion. 

Exclusive  of  the  head,  there  is  little  particularly  notice 
able  about  the  personal  appearance  of  the  Indians  of  the 
lower  Columbia.  The  description  given  of  them,  particu 
larly  of  their  women,  is  by  no  means  attractive.  It  would 
seem,  from  one  of  Mr.  Catlin's  illustrations,  that  a  singular 
custom,  generally  considered  as  peculiar  to  the  Brazilian 
Botocudos,  is  occasionally  observable  among  them.  He 
gives  a  sketch  of  a  woman  whose  under-lip  is  pierced,  and 
the  aperture  filled  with  a  large  wooden  plug  or  button 
(termed  the  "  botoque  "  in  South  America), 

Their  most  successful  advance  in  the  arts,  is  seen  in  the 
manufacture  of  their  canoes.  These,  according  to  the  de 
scription  given  in  the  history  of  Lewis  and  Clarke's  travels, 
are  often  t(  upwards  of  fifty  feet  long,  and  will  carry  from 
eight  to  ten  thousand  pounds  weight,  or  from  twenty  to 
thirty  persons.  *  *  They  are  cut  out  of  a  single  trunk 
of  a  tree,  which  is  generally  white  cedar,  though  the  fir 
is  sometimes  used.  *  *  When  they  embark,  one  In 
dian  sits  in  the  stern,  and  steers  with  a  paddle  ;  the  others 
kneel  in  pairs  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  and,  sitting 
on  their  heels,  paddle  over  the  gunwale  next  to  them.  In 
this  way  they  ride  with  perfect  safety  the  highest  waves, 
and  venture  without  the  least  concern  in  seas  where  other 
boats  and  seamen  could  not  live  an  instant.  They  sit 
quietly  and  paddle,  with  no  other  movement,  except  when 
any  large  wave  throws  the  boat  on  her  side,  and  to  the 
eye  of  the  spectator  she  seems  lost  :  the  man  to  wind 
ward  then  steadies  her  by  throwing  his  body  towards 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  537 

the  upper  side,  and,  sinking  his  paddle  deep  into  the  waves, 
appears  to  catch  the  water,  and  force  it  under  the  boat, 
which  the  same  stroke  pushes  on  with  great  velocity." 

They  subsist  principally  upon  fish,  in  taking  which  they 
are  very  expert.  Their  nets  are  made  of  silk-grass,  or  of 
the  fibrous  bark  of  the  white  cedar,  as  are  also  the  lines 
used  for  angling.  The  hooks  are  procured  from  white 
traders,  but  in  earlier  times  were  manufactured  from  bone. 
Their  houses  are  described  as  large  and  commodious  :  some 
of  them  are  said  by  Cox  to  be  "  upwards  of  ninety  feet 
long,  and  thirty  to  forty  broad."  The  size  of  the  beams 
used  in  the  construction  of  these  edifices,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  trunks  of  trees  worked  into  canoes,  is  almost  incredi 
ble,  considering  the  miserable  tools  and  implements  in 
their  possession  previous  to  European  intercourse. 

Their  household  furniture  and  utensils  are  rude  and 
simple  ;  in  their  primitive  condition  they  boiled  their  fish 
in  kettles  of  cedar  wood,  by  means  of  heated  stones  thrown 
into  the  water.  The  fire-place  is  a  hole  sunk  in  the  floor, 
to  the  depth  of  about  twelve  inches,  under  the  aperture  in 
the  roof  left  for  the  escape  of  smoke. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  SHOSHONEES,  OR  SNAKE  INDIANS.  —  THE  SHOSHOKOES,  OR  ROOT- 
DIGGERS.  —  EXTENT  OF  COUNTRY  OCCUPIED  BY  THE  SNAKES.— 
THE  CAMANCHES  :  THEIR  HORSEMANSHIP,  MODE  OF  LIFE,  DWELL 
INGS,  ETC.  — THE  PAWNEE  PICTS.  — THE  NABAJOS  AND  MOQUES. 

UNDER  various  names,  and  presenting  a  great  variety 
in  habits  and  appearance,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
country  they  inhabit,  the  great  race  of  Shoshonees  is  found 
scattered  over  the  boundless  wilderness,  from  Texas  to  the 


538  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Columbia.  Their  territory  is  bounded  on  the  north  and 
west  by  that  of  their  hereditary  enemies,  the  Blackfeet 
and  Crows,  the  tribes  allied  to  the  great  Dacotah  or  Sioux 
family,  and  the  Indians  removed  westward  from  the 
United  States. 

Those  who  dwell  amid  the  rugged  and  inhospitable  re 
gions  of  the  great  Rocky  Mountain  chain,  known  as  Shos- 
hokoes  or  Root-Diggers,  are  the  most  destitute  and  miser 
able  portion  of  all  the  North  American  tribes.  They  have 
no  horses,  and  nothing  but  the  rudest  native  implements 
for  securing  game.  They  are  harmless,  and  exceedingly 
timid  and  shy,  choosing  for  their  dwellings  the  most  re 
mote  and  unexplored  retreats  of  the  mountains,  whither 
they  fly  in  terror  at  the  approach  of  strangers,  whether 
whites  or  Indians.  "  These  forlorn  beings,"  says  Irving, 
"  forming  a  mere  link  between  human  nature  and  the 
brute,  have  been  looked  down  upon  with  pity  and  con 
tempt  by  the  Creole  trappers,  who  have  given  them  the 
appellation  of  '  les  dignes  de  pitie,'  or  '  the  objects  of  pity.' 
They  appear  more  worthy  to  be  called  the  wild  men  of  the 
mountains." 

Although  living  in  a  climate  where  they  experience 
great  severity  of  cold,  these  miserable  people  are  very 
insufficiently  protected  either  by  clothing  or  comfortable 
huts.  Of  a  party  seen  by  Bonneville  upon  the  plain  be 
low  Powder  River,  that  traveller  remarks  :  "  They  live 
without  any  further  protection  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
season,  than  a  sort  of  break-weather,  about  three  feet  high, 
composed  of  sage,  (or  wormwood,)  and  erected  around 
them  in  the  shape  of  a  half-moon."  This  material  also 
furnishes  them  with  fuel.  Many  were  seen  carrying  about 
with  them  a  slow  match,  made  of  twisted  bark.  "  When 
ever  they  wished  to  warm  themselves,  they  would  gather 
together  a  little  wormwood,  apply  the  match,  and  in  an 
instant  produce  a  cheering  blaze." 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  5oj 

They  live  principally,  as  their  name  implies,  upon  roots 
and  a  preparation  of  certain  wild  seeds  ;  but  by  the  aid  of 
their  dogs  —  a  lean  and  miserable  breed  —  they  catch  rabbits 
and  other  small  animals.  They  occasionally  take  ante 
lopes  by  the  following  singular  contrivance  :  An  enclo 
sure  of  several  acres  in  extent  is  formed  by  piling  up  a 
row  of  wormwood  brush,  only  about  three  feet  in  height. 
Into  this  the  game  is  decoyed  or  driven  and  the  entrance 
closed.  The  men  then  pursue  the  animals  on  foot,  round 
and  round  the  confined  space,  (fresh  recruits  entering  upon 
the  duty  as  the  first  become  weary),  until  they  are  com 
pletely  tired  down,  and  can  be  killed  with  clubs.  The 
antelopes  never  attempt  to  leap  over  the  frail  barrier. 

Those  Shoshokoes  who  live  in  the  vicinity  of  streams, 
add  to  their  supplies  by  fishing,  and  some  of  them  are 
sufficiently  skilful  and  provident  to  cure  stores  of  fish  for 
winter  ;  but  in  general  the  season  of  scarcity  finds  them 
wretchedly  unprovided.  "  They  were  destitute,"  says  Bon- 
neville,  of  a  party  encountered  by  him,  "  of  the  necessary 
covering  to  protect  them  from  the  weather  ;  and  seemed 
to  be  in  unsophisticated  ignorance  of  any  other  propriety 
or  advantage  in  the  use  of  clothing.  One  old  dame  had 
absolutely  nothing  on  her  person  but  a  thread  round  her 
neck,  from  which  was  pendent  a  solitary  bead." 

The  Shoshonees,  as  distinct  from  the  Hoot-Diggers, 
although  their  condition  varies  greatly  with  their  locality, 
are  a  free,  bold,  and  wandering  race  of  hunters.  In  the 
buffalo  plains  their  life  is  much  like  that  of  the  Sioux, 
Blackfeet,  Crows,  &c.;  while  in  the  less  favored  districts, 
among  the  mountains  and  deserts,  they  approach  more 
nearly  to  their  kindred  Shoshokoes.  The  country  inhabit 
ed  by  them  is  of  such  vast  extent,  and  has  been  so  imper 
fectly  explored,  that  material  for  accurate  classification  of 
the  Snake  tribes  is  entirely  wanting.  Very  interesting 
descriptions  and  anecdotes  of  these  Indians  are  to  be 


540  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

found  in  Colonel  Frdmont's  notes  of  travel  and  explora 
tions  ;  in  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  valuable  compend  of  Indian 
historical  and  statistical  information  ;  and  in  the  entertain 
ing  adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville. 

The  whole  region  tenanted  by  the  roving  tribes  who  are 
included  under  the  general  title  of  Snakes,  is  thus  laid 
down  in  Schoolcraft's  above-mentioned  publication  :  exclu 
sive  of  those  residing  upon  the  Snake  river,  "  they  em 
brace  all  the  territory  of  the  Great  South  Pass,  between 
the  Mississippi  valley  and  the  waters  of  the  Columbia,  by 
which  the  land  or  caravan  communication  with  Oregon 
and  California  is  now,  or  is  destined  hereafter,  to  be  main 
tained.  Under  the  name  of  Yampatick-ara,  or  Root- 
Eaters,  and  Bonacks,  they  occupy,  with  the  Utahs,  the  vast 
elevated  basin  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  extending  south 
and  west  to  the.  borders  of  New  Mexico  and  California. 
Information  recently  received  denotes  that  the  language 
is  spoken  by  bands  in  the  gold-mine  region  of  the  Sacra 
mento." 

The  most  noted  branch  of  the  whole  family  is  that  of  the 
Camanches,  "  who  have  descended  eastwardly  into  the  Tex 
an  plains  at  unknown  periods  of  their  history."  Analogy 
in  language  is  all  that  attests  the  former  unity  of  this 
nation  with  the  Shoshonees. 

The  Camanches  inhabit  a  country  where  bisons  and 
wild  horses  abound,  and  their  general  habits  and  mode  of 
life  are  consequently  very  similar  to  those  of  the  western 
Sioux  and  other  races  of  the  prairies.  As  bold  and  skil 
ful  riders,  they  are  said  to  have  no  equals,  at  least  in  North 
America ;  some  of  their  feats  of  horsemanship  appear 
almost  supernatural  to  a  stranger.  One  of  the  most  sin 
gular  of  these  is  that  of  throwing  the  whole  body  upon 
one  side  of  the  horse,  so  as  to  be  entirely  shielded  from 
the  missile  of  an  enemy,  with  the  exception  of  the  heel,  by 
which  they  still  maintain  their  hold,  and  are  enabled  to 


TRIBES    WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  543 

regain  tlieir  seat  in  an  instant.  The  manner  in  which  this 
seemingly  impossible  position  is  retained,  was  ascertained 
by  Mr.  Catlin  to  be  as  follows :  '•'  I  found,"  says  he,  "  on 
examination,  that  a  short  hair  halter  was  passed  around 
under  the  neck  of  the  horse,  and  both  ends  tightly  braided 
into  the  mane,  on  the  withers,  leaving  a  loop  to  hang  un 
der  the  neck,  and  against  the  breast,  which,  being  caught 
up  in  the  hand,  makes  a  sling  into  which  the  elbow  falls, 
taking  the  weight  of  the  body  on  the  middle  of  the  upper 
arm.  Into  this  loop  the  rider  drops  suddenly  and  fear 
lessly,  leaving  his  heel  to  hang  over  the  back  of  the  horse, 
to  steady  him,  and  also  to  restore  him  when  he  wishes  to 
regain  his  upright  position  on  the  horse's  back." 

The  Indian  rider,  as  he  sweeps,  at  full  speed,  past  his 
enemy,  in  this  unnatural  attitude,  is  said  to  manage  his 
long  lance,  and  his  bow  and  arrow,  with  nearly  the  same 
facility  as  if  fairly  mounted  He  will  discharge  his  arrow 
over  the  back  of  the  horse,  or  even  his  neck !  The  Ca- 
mnnches,  from  constant  horseback  exercise,  have  lost  that 
agility  and  grace  which  characterize  the  North  American 
Indian  in  his  natural  state.  They  are  awkward  and  un 
gainly  in  their  movements  when  on  foot,  but  when  mounted 
upon  the  animals  that  have  become  almost  a  part  of  them 
selves,  nothing  can  exceed  the  lightness  and  freedom  of 
their  posture  and  movements.  The  wild  horses  are  taken, 
as  usual,  by  the  lasso,  and  are  at  first  disabled  by  being 
"  choked  down,"  as  it  is  termed.  When  the  hunter  has 
thus  conquered  and  enfeebled  his  prize,  he  proceeds  to  tie 
his  fore  feet  together,  and,  loosening  the  noose  about  his 
neck,  takes  a  turn  with  it  about  the  lower  jaw,  and  com 
pletes  the  subjection  of  the  animal  by  closing  his  eyes 
with  his  hand  and  breathing  in  his  nostrils.  After  this,  little 
difficulty  is  experienced  ;  the  horse  submits  to  be  mounted, 
and  is  soon  entirely  under  the  control  of  his  tormentor. 
The  Indians  are  severe  and  cruel  riders,  and  the  ease  of 
31 


544  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

supplying  the  loss  of  a  horse  prevents  that  regard  for  his 
safety  and  care  for  his  welfare  elsewhere  furnished  by  self- 
interest. 

The  Camanches  are  essentially  a  warlike  race,  and  the 
whole  history  of  the  settlement  and  occupation  of  Texas 
is  replete  with  tales  of  their  courage  and  prowess.  There 
seems  to  be  reason  to  fear  that  difficulties  will  still  con 
tinue  to  arise  between  them  and  the  white  settlers  of  the 
country  until  the  whole  tribe,  like  so  many  in  the  older 
states,  shall  be  driven  from  their  territory  or  exterminated. 
Almost  the  only  man  who  has  ever  been  able  to  command 
their  enduring  admiration  and  respect,  and  to  exercise  a 
parental  control  over  these  wild  rovers  of  the  west,  is  the 
redoubted  champion  of  Texan  independence,  General 
Houston.  Numberless  tales  are  told  of  the  influence  of 
his  presence,  or  even  his  name,  in  quieting  border  trou 
bles  between  whites  and  Indians.  No  one  knows  the 
Camanches  better  than  Houston,  and  he  gives  abundant 
testimony  to  many  excellent  traits  in  their  character. 
According  to  his  representations,  the  generality  of  dis 
turbances  which  have  arisen  upon  their  borders  are  attrib 
utable  rather  to  injustice  and  violence,  on  the  part  of  the 
white  settlers,  than  to  the  native  ferocity  or  treachery  of 
the  Indians. 

The  dwellings  of  the  Camanches,  like  those  of  other 
prairie  tribes,  consist  of  tents  of  buffalo-skins,  and  are 
transported  from  place  to  place  in  the  manner  described 
in  a  former  chapter.  The  tribe  next  adjoining  them,  the 
Pawnee  Picts,  living  about  the  extreme  head-waters  of  the 
Red  River,  on  the  borders  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in 
habit  wigwams  of  poles  thatched  with  prairie  grass,  of 
very  picturesque  form  and  arrangement.  These  people 
are  said  to  be  entirely  distinct  from  the  Pawnees  on  the 
Platte  river  ;  they  are  in  a  state  of  friendly  alliance  with  the 
Camanches.  "Unlike  the  latter  tribe,  they  cultivate  large 


TRIBES   WEST   OF   THE   MISSISSIPPI.  £,45 

quantities  of  maize,  beans,  pumpkins,  &c.,  and,  what  with 
their  abundant  supply  of  game,  enjoy  no  little  prosperity. 


In  New  Mexico,  besides  the  Utahs,  Apaches,  and  other 
Indian  tribes  heretofore  mentioned,  are  two  very  singular 
communities  :  the  Nabajos  and  Moques.  The  first  of  these 
lead  a  pastoral  life  between  the  rivers  San  Juan  and  Gila. 
They  are  spoken  of  in  a  communication  of  Governor 
Charles  Bent,  in  1846,  as  "  an  industrious,  intelligent,  and 
warlike  tribe  of  Indians,  who  cultivate  the  soil,  and  raise 
sufficient  grain  and  fruits  of  various  kinds  for  their  own 
consumption.  They  are  the  owners  of  large  flocks  and 
herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  mules,  and  asses.  It  is  es 
timated,  that  the  tribe  possesses  30,000  head  of  horned 
cattle,  500,000  head  of  sheep,  and  10,000  head  of  horses, 
mules,  and  asses.  "  "  They  manufacture  excellent  coarse 
blankets,  and  coarse  woollen  goods  for  wearing  apparel. 
They  have  in  their  possession  many  men,  women 
and  children,  taken  from  the  settlements  of  this  territory, 
whom  they  hold  and  treat  as  slaves.  *  *  The  Moques 
are  neighbors  of  the  Nabajos,  and  live  in  permanent  vil 
lages,  cultivate  grain  and  fruits,  and  raise  all  the  varieties 
of  stock." — (Schoolcraft's  Historical  and  Statistical  In 
formation  concerning  the  Indian  Tribes.) 

The  Nabajos  number  from  seven  to  fourteen  thousand 
souls  ;  the  Moques  between  two  and  three  thousand.  The 
two  tribes  are  at  enmity  with  each  other,  and  the  Moques 
have  been,  by  this  cause,  much  reduced. 

The  following  description  of  the  personal  appearance 
of  these  Indians,  (their  names  being  corrupted  into  "  Nab- 
behoes,"  and  "  Mawkeys,")  is  cited  by  Mclntosh,  in  his 
"  Origin  of  the  North  American  Indians,"  from  the  West 
ern  Democrat  :  we  cannot  undertake  to  vouch  for  its  accu 
racy.  After  describing  the  location  of  the  smaller  tribes, 


546  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  article  proceeds  :  "  Not  far  distant  from  the  Mawkeys, 
and  in  the  same  range  of  country,  is  another  band  of  the 
same  description,  called  Nabbehoes,  a  description  of  either 
of  these  tribes,  will  answer  for  both.  They  have  been 
described  to  the  writer  by  two  men  in  whose  veracity  the 
fullest  confidence  may  be  placed  :  they  say  the  men  are 
of  the  common  stature,  with  light  flaxen  hair,  light-blue 
eyes,  and  that  their  skin  is  of  the  most  delicate  whiteness." 


INDIAN  POPULATION 

OF  THE 

UNITED    STATES   AND    TERRITORY. 


ACCORDING  to  the  census  taken,  under  the  agency  of 
Mr.  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  in  pursuance  of  the  act  of  Con 
gress  passed  in  March,  1847,  the  following  returns  were 
made  of  the  numbers  of  the  Indian  tribes  subject  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  United  States. 

The  grand  total  was  set  down  at  388,229,  and  about 
30,000  more  was  considered  a  probable  estimate  of  tribes 
inhabiting  districts  yet  unexplored.  The  "  Ultimate  Con 
solidated  Tables  of  the  Indian  Population  of  the  United 
States,"  containing  the  results  of  the  proposed  investiga 
tion,  are  given  substantially  as  follows,  in  Schoolcraft's 
"  History,  Condition,  and  Prospects  of  the  Indian  Tribes 
of  the  United  States  :  " 

1.  "  Tribes  whose  vital  and  industrial  statistics  have  been  taken 
by  Bands  and  Families,  under  the  direction  of  the  act  of 
Congress,"  including  Iroquois,  Algonquins,  Appalachians,  and 
Eastern  Sioux 34,704 

2.  "  Tribes  of  the  new  States  and  Territories,  South  and  West, 
including  the  acquisitions  from  Mexico,  under  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo,"  viz. :  of  Texas,  New  Mexico,  California, 
Oregon,  Utah,  and  Florida,  and  consisting  of  Camanchjss, 
Apaches,  Utahs,  Shoshonees  or  Snake  Indians,  &c.      .     .     .     183,042 

(547) 


548 


INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


3.  Tribes  between  the   Mississippi  and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  to   the 
northward  of  Texas  and  New  Mexico,  viz.  :  — 


Assinaboins,  south  of  lat.  49  deg.     .     1,000 

Arapahoes, 3,500 

Absarokes,  or  Crows,        .        .        .    4,000 

Aurickarees, 1,500 

Blackfeet, 13,000  j  Otoes 

Blood  Indians  (few  reach  the  Missouri),  500  <;  Omahas, 


Miamies, 500 

Missouris,       •  500 

Munsees, 200 

Ottawas,  west,       ....  300 

500 

2,000 


Brothertons, 60 )  '/  Ogellahs, 1,500 

Cherokees, 26,000  \  Pawnees, 17,000 

Creeks, 25,000  j  Poncas, 700 

Chickasaws, 5,000  ',  Pottawatomies, 3,200 

Choctaws, 16,000  I  Peorias, 150 

Cheyennes, 2,500 j  Piankeshaws,         ....  200 

Caddoes, 2,000  I  Quappas, 400 

Chippewas,west,and  Red  River,  north.,1,500  j  Shawanees, 1,600 


Cayugas  and  Iroquois,  west,         .  30 

Delawares, 1,500 

Foxes  and  Sacs,     ....  2,400 

Gros  Venires, 3,000 

Kiowas, 2,000 

Kickapoos, 600 

Kanzas, 1,600 

Kaskaskias, 200 

Menomonies,           ....  2,500 

Mandans,  (?) 300 


Sioux  of  the  Mississippi  (not  enume 
rated  in  No.  1),       ....    9,000 
Sioux  of  the  Missouri  (not  enume 
rated  in  No.  1),  .        .        .        .        5,500 

Stockbridges 400 

Serninoles, 1,500 

Swan  Creek  and  Black  River  Chip- 
pewas  (not  enumerated  in  the  Al 
gonquin  group),     ....       200 
Tetans, 3,000 


Minitarees, 2,500  $  Weas, 


250 


Within  the  old  States  are  the  following  remnants  of  ancient  tribes  :  — 


Maine, 

Massachusetts,          .... 
Rhode  Island  —  Narragansetts,  . 
Connecticut  —  Mohegans, 
New  York,  besides  the  Iroquois,  be 
fore  enumerated,     . 


.    956 

847 
.    420 


Virginia  —  Nottoways,   mixed  with 

the  African  race,       ....      40 
South  Carolina  —  Catawbas,   .        .        200 


400  >  North  Carolina  —  Catawbas,       .        .    250 
I  Together  with  Cherokees  included  in  for- 
40  \      mer  table. 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 

TRIBES   OF   THE  WEST  INDIES, 

AND  THE  NORTHERN  PROVINCES  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

CHAPTER   I. 

INDIANS  FIRST  SEEN  BY  COLUMBUS.  —  LANDING  AT  GUAN AH ANl. —  NA 
TIVES  OF  CUBA.  — EMBASSY  TO  THE  GRAND  KHAN  !  — DISCOVERY  OF 
HAYTI,  AND  INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  — GUACANAGARl.  — 
WRECK  OF  THE  ADMIRAL'S  VESSEL.  —  HONESTY  AND  HOSPITALITY 
OF  THE  NATIVE  INHABITANTS.  —  TRADE  FOR  GOLD.  —  BUILDING  OF 
THE  FORTRESS  OF  LA  NAVIDAD.  —  DEPARTURE  OF  THE  NINA.  — THE 
CIGUAYANS.—  DISORDERS  AND  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  GARRISON  AT 
LA  NAVIDAD. —  FORT  OF  ST.  THOMAS. 

AT  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  the  New  World  by 
Columbus,  the  larger  West  India  islands  and  the  Baha 
mas  were,  for  the  most  part,  inhabited  by  a  kindly  and 
simple-hearted  race.  Although  living  in  the  most  prim 
itive  state  of  nature,  unclothed,  and  possessed  of  only  the 
rudest  weapons  and  implements,  they  do  not  appear  to 
have  been  deficient  in  intellectual  capacity.  The  delight 
ful  climate  of  their  country,  and  the  spontaneous  fruitful- 
ness  of  the  soil,  removed  the  ordinary  incentives  to  labor 
and  ingenuity.  The  rudest  huts  of  branches,  reeds,  and 
palm-leaf  thatch,  with  hammocks,  (originally  the  Indian 
word  "  hamacs  "  )  slung  between  the  posts,  fully  sufficed 
for  their  dwellings.  Protection  from  the  rain  was  alone 
necessary. 

(549) 


550  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

They  were  of  good  figure  and  proportion,  their  foreheads 
were  high  and  well  formed,  and  the  general  cast  of  their 
countenance  and  conformation  of  their  features  agreeable 
and  regular. 

The  great  admiral  landed, 'for  the  first  time  since  the 
days  of  "  the  Northmen  "  that  any  European  had  visited 
the  Western  "World,  at  Guanahani,  San  Salvador,  or  Cat 
Island,  on  the  12th  of  October,  1492.  The  shore  was 
lined  with  naked  savages,  who  fled  at  the  approach  of  the 
boats;  but  watching  from  a  distance  the  incomprehensible 
ceremony  of  taking  possession,  and  the  religious  exercises 
of  thanksgiving,  performed  by  the  strangers,  fear  soon 
gave  place  to  reverential  curiosity.  If  any  thing  could 
excite  their  wonder  in  a  higher  degree  than  the  majestic 
approach  of  the  ships,  it  might  well  be  the  splendor  of 
the  Spanish  dress  and  arms,  the  strange  complexion,  and 
the  thick  beards  of  the  strangers  who  arrived  in  them. 
The  Indians  soon  began  to  gather  round  the  little  band, 
throwing  themselves  upon  the  earth  in  token  of  submis 
sion  and  respect,  and  worshipping  the  Spaniards  as  gods 
or  divine  messengers.  As  nothing  but  kindness  appeared 
in  the  demeanor  of  the  strangers,  the  natives  grew  more 
familiar,  and,  with  unbounded  admiration,  touched  and 
examined  their  dress  and  beards. 

Columbus  still  further  won  the  good-will  of  the  island 
ers  by  a  judicious  distribution  of  such  brilliant  beads  and 
toys  as  ever  attract  the  eye  of  the  savage.  Nothing  de 
lighted  them  so  much  as  hawks'-bells,  of  whose  pleasant 
tinkling,  when  suspended  from  their  arms  and  necks,  they 
were  never  weary.  The  next  day,  laying  aside  all  fear, 
the  Indians  came  out  to  the  ships,  swimming  or  paddling 
in  their  canoes.  They  brought  such  little  articles  of  trade 
as  they  possessed ;  balls  of  cotton  yarn,  parrots,  and  cas 
sava  bread  (made  from  the  yuca  root)  ;  eager  to  traffic, 
upon  any  terms,  for  European  commodities.  Golden  orna- 


C  U  H  I  S  TOP  H  F.  R     C  O  1.  U  M  H  US 


ETC.  553 

ments  worn  in  the  noses  of  some  of  them  at  once  aroused 
the  cupidity  of  the  Spaniards,  who  eagerly  bought  them 
up,  and  made  inquiry,  by  signs,  as  to  whence  the  material 
was  brought.  This  was  explained  to  be  at  the  southward. 

In  his  further  cruise  among  the  Bahamas,  in  the  vain 
search  for  gold,  Columbus  pursued  the  most  humane  and 
gentle  policy  towards  the  natives,  and  their  gratitude  and 
delight  at  his  caresses  and  presents  knew  no  bounds. 
Equally  generous,  they  were  ever  ready  to  proffer  to  the 
Spaniards  all  their  little  wealth  of  cotton,  fruits,  and  tame 
parrots.  Seven  of  the  natives  of  Guanahani  were  taken 
on  board  the  vessels  upon  the  departure  from  that  island. 

The  admiral  had  no  doubt  but  that  he  had  reached  the 
islands  of  the  Asiatic  coast,  and,  in  accordance  with  this 
mistake,  bestowed  the  epithet  of  Indians  upon  the  inhab 
itants.  As  he  came  in  sight  of  Cuba,  he  supposed  that  he 
had  at  least  reached  Cipango.  This  opinion  was  finally 
changed,  from  a  misapprehension  of  communications  from 
the  natives  on  board,  to  a  firm  belief  that  this  was  the 
main  land  of  the  continent  of  Asia,  an  error  of  which 
Columbus  was  never  disabused. 

The  inhabitants  appeared  rather  more  advanced  in  the 
arts  than  those  before  seen,  but,  to  the  intense  disappoint 
ment  of  all  on  board  the  vessels,  none  of  them  were  pos 
sessed  of  any  gold.  Two  ambassadors  were  sent  by 
Columbus  to  explore  the  interior,  and  to  visit  the  court  of 
the  prince  of  the  country,  whom  his  imagination  led  him 
to  conclude  must  be  none  other  than  the  Grand  Khan  !  A 
rude  Indian  village,  of  about  one  thousand  inhabitants, 
naked  savages,  like  those  of  the  coast,  was  all  that  was 
discovered  by  these  emissaries.  They  were  received  and 
entertained  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  reverence,  but 
were  unable  to  communicate  with  the  natives  otherwise 
than  by  signs.  The  most  interesting  report  made  by  them 
upon  their  return,  was  of  a  custom  then  unknown  to  the 


554  INDIAN   RACES   OF    AMERICA. 

whites,  viz.  :  that  of  smoking.  The  name  of  tobacco, 
given  by  the  natives  to  the  cigars  which  they  used,  was 
ever  after  applied  to  the  plant. 

From  Cuba,  Columbus  took  several  Indians,  men  and 
women,  on  board,  at  his  departure,  that  they  might  be 
taught  Spanish,  and  thereafter  serve  as  interpreters.  In. 
December,  he  discovered  the  island  of  Hayti,  named  by 
him  Hispaniola,  and  landing  on  the  12th  of  the  month, 
he  raised  a  cross  in  token  of  taking  possession.  All  the 
inhabitants  had  fled  into  the  interior ;  but  a  young  female 
was  taken  by  some  roving  sailors,  and  brought  on  board. 
She  was  sent  on  shore  with  abundant  presents  of  ornaments 
and  clothing,  to  give  a  favorable  report  of  the  whites  to 
her  own  people.  Next  day  a  party  was  sent  to  visit  the 
Indian  town  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  of  Three  Rivers. 
The  town  consisted  of  about  one  thousand  houses,  from 
which  the  occupants  fled  at  the  sight  of  the  Spaniards. 
They  were  finally  reassured,  and  induced  to  return.  Some 
two  thousand  of  them  made  their  appearance,  advancing 
slowly,  with  every  gesture  and  expression  of  humiliation 
and  respect. 

The  woman  whom  the  Spaniards  had  the  day  before 
entertained,  had  not  failed  to  report  magnificent  descrip 
tions  of  her  captors  and  their  vessels.  The  tokens  which 
she  brought  back,  in  the  shape  of  beads,  hawks'-bells,  &c., 
were  yet  more  convincing  evidence  of  the  beneficence  and 
wealth  of  the  Spaniards.  She  now  came  forward,  with  her 
husband,  at  the  head  of  a  throng  of  Indians,  and  every 
expression  of  gratitude  and  good-will  was  lavished  by 
them  upon  their  guests.  Every  thing  that  the  poor 
natives  possessed  was  freely  at  the  Spaniards'  service. 

Columbus  writes  of  these  islanders  :  "  True  it  is  that 
after  they  felt  confidence  and  lost  their  fear  of  us,  they 
were  so  liberal  with  what  they  possessed  that  it  would  not 
be  believed  by  those  who  had  not  seen  it.  If  any  thing 


TRIBES   OF   THE   WEST   INDIES,    ETC.  555 

was  asked  of  them,  they  never  said  no ;  but  rather  gave  it 
cheerfully,  and  showed  as  much  amity  as  if  they  gave  their 
very  hearts." 

The  early  voyagers,  and  all  contemporary  writers,  agree 
that  this  was  the  character  of  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  West  India  Islands,  with  the  exception  of  the  Caribs.  A 
more  guileless,  innocent,  contented  race  has  never  existed, 
and  never  were  strangers  welcomed  to  a  foreign  shore  with 
more  genuine  and  kindly  hospitality  ;  but  what  a  return 
did  they  receive  for  their  friendliness  and  submission ! 

Coasting  along  towards  the  east,  Columbus  landed  at 
Acul,  and  held  friendly  communion  with  the  inhabitants, 
whose  first  fears  were  easily  dispelled.  The  same  scenes 
of  mutual  presents  and  hospitalities  that  characterized  the 
former  landings  were  here  repeated.  The  whole  of  that 
region  of  country  was  under  the  command  of  a  great 
cacique,  named  Guacanagari,  from  whom  the  Spaniards 
now,  for  the  first  time,  received  messengers,  inviting  them 
to  visit  him,  and  offering  various  curious  presents.  Among 
these  articles  were  some  specimens  of  rude  work  in  gold. 

While  pursuing  his  course  eastward,  with  the  intention 
of  anchoring  in  a  harbor  described  as  near  the  residence 
of  the  cacique,  Columbus  had  the  misfortune  to  be  cast 
away  upon  a  sand-bar.  No  shipwrecked  mariners  ever 
received  more  prompt  and  efficient  relief  than  was  imme 
diately  extended  by  Guacanagari  and  his  subjects.  Every 
thing  was  brought  to  land  from  the  wreck,  and  guarded 
with  the  most  scrupulous  honesty.  The  cacique  himself, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  came  on  board  the  caravel  Nina, 
whither  the  admiral  and  his  crew  had  been  obliged  to  be 
take  themselves,  and  offered  every  assistance  in  his  power. 

With  respect  to  the  goods  brought  on  shore  in  the 
natives'  canoes,  "  there  seemed,"  says  Mr.  Irving,  "  even 
among  the  common  people,  no  disposition  to  take  advan 
tage  of  the  misfortune  of  the  strangers.  Although  they 


556  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

beheld  what  must,  in  their  eyes,  have  been  inestimable 
treasures,  cast  as  it  were  upon  their  shores,  and  open  to 
depredation,  yet  there  was  not  the  least  attempt  to  pilfer, 
nor,  in  transporting  the  effects  from  the  ship,  had  they 
appropriated  the  most  trifling  article ;  on  the  contrary,  a 
general  sympathy  was  visible  in  their  countenances  and 
actions  ;  and,  to  have  witnessed  their  concern,  one  would 
have  supposed  the  misfortune  had  happened  to  themselves." 

The  Spaniards,  wearied  with  long  and  profitless  voy 
aging,  now  revelled  in  the  enjoyment  of  true  Indian  hos 
pitality.  The  cacique,  who  was  regarded  with  the  utmost 
love  and  reverence  by  his  subjects,  continued  his  kind 
offices,  and  the  people  were  not  behind-hand  in  following 
his  example.  What  delighted  the  shipwrecked  mariners 
more  than  any  other  circumstance,  was  the  number  of  gold 
ornaments  possessed  by  the  natives,  and  which  they  were 
eager  to  dispart  for  any  trifle  of  European  manufacture. 
Hawks'-bells,  above  all  other  articles  of  use  or  ornament, 
were  universally  in  demand.  "  On  one  occasion,"  says 
Irving,  "  an  Indian  gave  half-a-handful  of  gold  dust  in  ex 
change  for  one  of  these  toys,  and  no  sooner  was  in  posses 
sion  of  it,  than  he  bounded  away  to  the  woods,  looking  often 
behind  him,  and  fearful  that  the  Spaniard  would  repent  of 
having  parted  so  cheaply  with  such  an  inestimable  jewel." 

The  natives  described  the  mountains  of  Cibao  as  the 
principal  source  whence  gold  was  to  be  obtained.  Valua 
ble  mines  were,  indeed,  afterwards  discovered  in  that  re 
gion,  although  their  yield  fell  far  short  of  the  extravagant 
anticipations  of  the  Spaniards. 

A  portion  of  the  crew  of  the  wrecked  vessel  expressed 
a  strong  desire  to  remain  at  Hispaniola  until  another  ex 
pedition  could  be  fitted  out  from  Spain,  upon  the  return 
of  the  Nina,  and  Columbus  was  not  displeased  with  the 
proposition.  The  Indians  were  overjoyed  at  the  prospect 
of  retaining  some  of  the  powerful  strangers  in  their  island, 


TRIBES   OF   THE    WEST   INDIES,   ETC. 


557 


as  a  protection  against  the  invasions  of  the  dreaded  Caribs, 
and  as  security  for  a  future  visit  from  European  vessels. 
They  had  seen,  with  wonder  and  awe,  the  terrible  effect  of 
the  discharge  of  artillery,  and  the  admiral  had  promised 
the  assistance  of  his  men  and  weapons  in  case  of  any  inroad 
from  an  enemy's  country. 

The  little  fortress  of  La  Navidad  was  speedily  con 
structed  out  of  the  materials  of  the  stranded  vessel,  and 
fortified  with  her  cannon.  The  Indians  eagerly  lent  their 
assistance  in  the  labor  of  transportation  and  building. 
Thirty-nine  men  were  chosen,  from  the  numerous  volun 
teers  for  that  service,  as  a  garrison  for  the  fort  :  to  these 
Columbus  addressed  the  most  earnest  exhortations  to  dis 
cretion  and  kindness  in  their  intercourse  with  the  natives. 
His  heart  might  well  be  touched  by  the  continued  courtesy 
and  affection  of  Guacanagari,  who  could  not  refrain  from 
tears  at  parting  with  his  venerated  friend.  The  Nina 
sailed  on  the  4th  of  January,  149-3.  Coasting  eastward, 
the  caravel  joined  company  with  the  Pinta,  under  Pinzon, 
of  which  no  accounts  had  been  for  some  time  received,  and 
the  two  vessels  passed  cape  Gaboon,  and  came  to  anchor  in 
the  bay  beyond.  Here  was  seen  a  tribe  of  Indians  very 
different  from  those  of  the  west  end  of  the  island.  From 
their  bold  and  warlike  appearance,  their  bows  and  arrows, 
clubs,  and  wooden  swords,  the  Spaniards  took  them  for 
Caribs,  and,  unfortunately,  before  coming  to  a  friendly 
understanding  with  them,  a  skirmish  took  place,  in  which 
two  of  the  Indians  were  wounded.  Reconciliation  and 
friendly  intercourse  succeeded.  The  tribe  proved  to  be 
that  of  the  Ciguayans,  a  hardy  race  of  mountaineers.  Co 
lumbus  was  particularly  struck  with  the  noble  demeanor 
of  the  cacique,  supposed  to  be  the  same  afterwards  promi 
nent  in  history  as  Mayon-vbex. 

Not  long  after  the  departure  of  tLe  admiral  from  La 
Navidad,  the  Spaniards  left  at  the  fort  began  to  give  them- 


558  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

selves  up  to  the  most  unbounded  and  dissolute  license. 
Their  savage  quarrels  among  themselves,  and  the  gross 
sensuality  which  characterized  their  intercourse  with  the 
natives,  soon  disabused  the  latter  of  the  sublime  concep 
tions  formed  by  them  of  the  virtues  and  wisdom  of  their 
guests.  With  all  this  misrule,  the  precautions  of  a  mili 
tary  post  were  utterly  neglected,  and  full  opportunity  was 
given  for  an  attack.  The  destruction  of  the  fort  by  the 
Carib  chief  Caonabo,  will  be  found  described  in  a  subse 
quent  chapter. 

When  Columbus  returned  to  Hispaniola,  upon  his  second 
voyage,  nothing  but  dismantled  ruins  marked  the  spot  of 
the  settlement.  Guacanagari  and  his  people  described  the 
attack  of  Caonabo  and  his  warriors,  their  own  futile  at 
tempts  to  assist  the  garrison,  and  the  slaughter  of  the 
Spaniards.  Notwithstanding  the  apparent  good  faith  of 
the  cacique,  many  of  the  Spaniards  began  to  mistrust  his 
accounts,  and  to  suspect  him  of  having  acted  a  treacher 
ous  part.  This  suspicion  was  strengthened  by  his  sudden 
departure  with  several  of  the  female  captives  brought 
away  by  the  admiral  from  the  Caribbee  Islands. 

The  hope  of  procuring  rich  treasures  of  the  precious 
metals,  and  the  desire  of  holding  in  check  the  warlike 
Caonabo,  induced  Columbus  to  establish  the  fortress  of  St. 
Thomas  in  the  province  of  Cibao.  Those  stationed  at  this 
remote  interior  position,  in  the  midst  of  more  hardy  and 
proud-spirited  tribes  than  those  of  the  coast,  collected  and 
transmitted  much  curious  information  concerning  native 
superstitions,  customs,  and  nationalities.  Some  crude  no 
tions  of  supernatural  influences,  apparitions,  necromancy, 
&c.,  were  entertained  by  these  islanders,  in  common  with 
most  savage  nations.  They  had  also  an  idea  of  a  future 
state  of  happiness  for  the  good,  in  which  all  earthly  pleas 
ures  should  be  enjoyed  in  unalloyed  perfection. 


TRIBES   OF   THE   WEST   INDIES,   ETC.  559 


CHAPTER    II. 

INDIANS  OF  JAMAICA.  — CRUISE  ALONG  THE  SOUTHERN  COAST  OP 
CUBA.  — SPEECH  OF  AN  INDIAN  COUNSELLOR. —  DIFFICULTIES  AT 
THE  FORTRESS  OF  ST.  THOMAS.— ITS  SIEGE  BY  CAONABO.  —  EF 
FORTS  OF  COLUMBUS  TO  RESTORE  ORDER.  — GREAT  RISING  OF  THE 
INDIANS  OF  HISPANIOLA.  —  THEIR  DEFEAT.  — TRIBUTE  IMPOSED.  — 
VISIT  OF  BARTHOLOMEW  TO  XARAGUA. —  FURTHER  INSURRECTION 
IN  THE  VEGA.  — BOB ADILLA  AS  VICEROY. —  CRUELTIES  PRACTISED 
ON  THE  INDIANS.— LAS  CASAS.  — INCIDENTS  RELATED  BY  PURCHAS. 
—  ADMINISTRATION  OF  OVANDO. —  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  XARAGUA. 
-REDUCTION  OF  HIGUEY. 

IN  the  month  of  May,  1494,  the  island  of  Jamaica  was 
first  discovered  by  Columbus.  The  native  inhabitants 
appeared  to  be  of  a  very  different  character  from  the  timid 
and  gentle  islanders  with  whom  former  intercourse  had 
been  held.  A  crowd  of  canoes,  filled  with  savages  gau 
dily  adorned  with  plumes  and  paint,  opposed  the  landing 
of  the  Spaniards.  These  were  pacified  by  the  Indian  in 
terpreters  on  board  ;  but  upon  landing,  the  next  day,  the 
throng  of  natives  on  shore  exhibited  such  decidedly 
hostile  intentions,  that  it  became  necessary  to  intimidate 
them.  A  few  discharges  from  the  Spanish  cross-bows 
sufficed  to  put  them  to  flight.  The  ferocity  of  a  savage 
dog,  brought  on  shore  by  the  whites,  added  greatly  to 
their  terror. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  allaying  the  apprehensions 
of  these  Indians,  and  the  usual  friendly  intercourse  was 
soon  established.  During  a  cruise  along  the  southern 
coast  of  Cuba,  which  occupied  the  succeeding  months  of 
June  and  July,  the  islanders  seen  were  as  gentle  and  tract 
able  as  those  upon  the  northern  shores  of  the  island.  The 
means  of  communication  now  afforded  by  the  Indian  in 
terpreters  gave  new  interest  to  every  conference.  The 


560  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

wondering  crowd  of  natives  would  gather  with  the  most 
eager  interest  around  these  their  fellow-countrymen,  to 
listen  to  the  tales  of  gorgeous  spectacles  and  unheard-of 
wonders  witnessed  by  themselves  in  the  distant  country 
of  the  whites.  There  was  enough  of  the  novel  and  won 
derful  before  the  eyes  of  the  ignorant  islanders,  in  the 
ships,  appearance,  conduct,  and  costume  of  the  Spaniards, 
to  prevent  incredulity,  as  they  listened  to  the  narrations 
of  the  interpreters.  The  performance  of  the  religious  ser 
vices  of  the  Catholic  church,  struck  the  natives  with  awe, 
particularly  when  the  purport  of  these  ceremonials  was 
explained  to  them.  In  testimony  of  their  natural  intelli 
gence  and  perceptions  of  right  and  wrong,  Mr.  Irving 
gives  us,  from  Herrera,  the  following  speech  of  an  aged 
counsellor  of  one  of  the  Cuban  caciques,  after  witnessing 
the  celebration  of  the  mass  : 

"  When  the  service  was  ended,  the  old  man  of  fourscore, 
who  had  contemplated  it  with  profound  attention,  ap 
proached  Columbus,  and  made  him  an  oration  in  the  In 
dian  manner. 

"  *  This  which  thou  hast  been  doing,'  said  he, ( is  well ;  for 
it  appears  to  be  thy  manner  of  giving  thanks  to  God.  I 
am  told  that  thou  hast  lately  come  to  these  lands  with  a 
mighty  force,  and  hast  subdued  many  countries,  spreading 
great  fear  among  the  people  ;  but  be  not  therefore  vain 
glorious.  Know  that,  according  to  our  belief,  the  souls 
of  men  have  two  journeys  to  perform  after  they  have  de 
parted  from  the  body  ;  one  to  a  place  dismal  and  foul,  and 
covered  with  darkness,  prepared  for  those  who  have  been 
unjust  and  cruel  to  their  fellow-men ;  the  other  pleasant 
and  full  of  delight,  for  such  who  have  promoted  peace  on 
earth.  If  then  thou  art  mortal,  and  dost  expect  to  die, 
and  dost  believe  that  each  one  shall  be  rewarded  according 
to  his  deeds,  beware  that  thou  wrongfully  hurt  no  man,  nor 
do  harm  to  those  who  have  done  no  harm  to  thee.'  " 


TRIBES   OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,   ETC. 


561 


From  Cuba  the  admiral  visited  the  southern  shores  of 
Jamaica.  All  the  first  distrust  and  opposition  of  the  in 
habitants  had  vanished,  and  nothing  but  gentleness  and 
kindness  characterized  their  demeanor.  At  one  place  a 
cacique  came  out  to  the  ship  with  his  whole  family,  "  con 
sisting  of  his  wife,  two  daughters,  two  sons,  and  five  broth 
ers.  One  of  the  daughters  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
beautiful  in  form  and  countenance ;  her  sister  was  some 
what  younger ;  both  were  naked,  according  to  the  custom 
of  the  islands,  but  were  of  modest  demeanor." 

This  chief  professed  himself  ready  to  go,  with  all  his 
train,  in  the  Spanish  vessels,  to  visit  the  king  and  queen 
of  Spain,  and  acknowledge  himself  their  vassal,  if  by  so 
doing  he  could  preserve  his  kingdom. 

During  the  absence  of  Columbus,  the  dissolute  and  un 
principled  Spaniards  at  the  fortress  of  St.  Thomas,  so 
grossly  abused  their  power  among  the  natives,  that  an  ex 
tensive  spirit  of  hostility  was  roused  up  against  them. 
Caonabo  was  unwearied  in  his  efforts  to  excite  the  other 
island  caciques  to  a  union  against  the  intruders,  and  the 
faithful  Guacanagari  alone  seems  to  have  been  proof  against 
his  persuasions,  in  revenge  for  which  non-compliance,  the 
Carib  and  his  brother-in-law,  Behechio,  committed  num 
berless  indignities  and  injuries  upon  him  and  his  people. 
Serious  difficulties  soon  arose  ;  a  number  of  Spaniards  were 
put  to  death  by  Guatiguana,  a  subordinate  cacique  under 
the  celebrated  Guarionex,  in  punishment  for  outrages  com 
mitted  upon  his  people ;  and  Caonabo  besieged  the  garri 
son  at  St.  Thomas  with  a  force  of  many  thousands  of  his 
warriors.  After  thirty  days  of  ineffectual  attempts  to  re 
duce  the  place,  he  gave  up  the  undertaking,  and  drew  off 
his  army.  The  stratagem  by  which  the  person  of  this 
noted  chief  and  warrior  was  secured  by  the  commandant 
at  St.  Thomas's,  will  be  detailed  hereafter.  Columbus, 
upon  his  return  to  Hispaniola,  made  use  of  every  effort  to 
32 


562 


INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 


check  the  ruinous  disorders  which  had  become  prevalent. 
He  punished  Guatiguana  by  an  invasion  of  his  dominions 
and  the  destruction  of  no  small  number  of  his  people.  An 
interview  was  then  brought  about  with  his  superior,  Guari- 
onex,  a  peaceable  and  well-disposed  chief,  who  readily  con 
sented  to  the  establishment  of  a  Spanish  fort  in  the  very 
heart  of  his  domains. 

The  crushing  system  of  oppression  had  now  fairly  com 
menced,  and  was  promptly  followed  up  by  the  shipment 
of  five  hundred  Indians  to  be  sold  as  slaves  in  Spain. 
This  was  directly  the  act  of  Columbus  himself,  and  histo 
rians  only  offer,  as  his  excuse,  the  argument  that  such  was 
the  ordinary  custom  of  his  age  in  all  wars  with  savages  or 
infidels.  The  interposition  of  the  kind-hearted  Isabella, 
prevented  the  consummation  of  this  proposed  sale.  By 
her  orders,  the  prisoners  were  sent  back  to  their  homes, 
but,  unfortunately,  not  until  the  state  of  affairs  upon  the 
islands  was  such  that  the  poor  Indians  might  have  been 
better  situated  as  slaves  in  Spain. 

A  general  combination  of  the  island  chieftains  against 
the  Spaniards  finally  induced  Columbus  to  commence  an 
active  campaign  against  them.  In  the  dominions  of  the 
captive,  Caonabo,  his  brother,  Manicaotex,  his  brother-in- 
law,  Behechio,  and  his  beautiful  wife,  Anacaona,  were  the 
most  prominent  in  authority,  and  the  most  active  in  rousing 
up  hostilities.  The  Spanish  force  consisted  of  a  little  over 
two  hundred  men,  twenty  of  whom  were  mounted,  and 
twenty  Hood-hounds,  an  enemy  as  novel  as  terrible  to  the 
naked  savages.  Guacanagari  lent  his  feeble  aid,  with  that 
of  his  followers.  Of  the  number  of  the  hostile  Indians  in 
the  district  of  the  Vega,  the  historians  of  the  time  gave 
exaggerated  accounts.  They  speak  of  an  array  of  one 
hundred  thousand  hostile  savages.  Manicaotex  was  leader 
of  the  united  tribes.  Near  the  site  of  the  present  town  of 
St.  Jago,  a  decisive  battle  was  fought,  in  which  the  vast 


ETC.  533 

army  of  the  Indians  was  utterly  routed.  The  Spanish 
commander  did  not  hesitate  to  divide  his  little  battalion 
into  several  detachments,  which  fell  upon  the  enemy  simul 
taneously,  from  different  quarters.  Torn  to  pieces  by  the 
savage  dogs,  trampled  down  by  the  cavalry,  and  unable  to 
effect  any  thing  in  turn  against  the  mail-clad  whites,  the 
poor  Indians  were  overwhelmed  with  confusion  and  terror. 
The  rout  was  as  complete,  although  the  massacre  was  not 
so  cruel,  as  when  Pizarro  attacked  the  Peruvian  Inca,  with 
an  almost  equally  disproportionate  force. 

"  The  Indians,"  says  Mr.  Irving,  "  fled  in  every  direc 
tion,  with  yells  and  howlings  ;  some  clambered  to  the  top 
of  rocks  and  precipices,  from  whence  they  made  piteous 
supplications  and  offers  of  complete  submission ;  many 
were  killed,  many  made  prisoners,  and  the  confederacy 
was,  for  the  time,  completely  broken  up  and  dispersed." 

Nearly  the  whole  of  Hispaniola  was  speedily  reduced  to 
subjection  ;  Behechio  and  his  sister,  Anacaona,  alone  of  all 
the  natives  in  authority,  secluded  themselves  among  the 
unsettled  wilds  at  the  western  extremity  of  the  island. 
All  the  other  caciques  made  conciliatory  overtures,  and 
submitted  to  the  imposition  of  a  heavy  and  grievous  trib 
ute  upon  them  and  their  subjects.  A  hawks'-bell  filled 
with  gold-dust,  or  twenty-five  pounds  of  cotton,  was  quar 
terly  required  at  the  hands  of  every  Indian  over  the  age 
of  fourteen ;  from  the  chiefs  a  vastly  larger  amount  was 
collected.  The  contrast  between  the  former  easy  and  lux 
urious  life  of  the  islanders,  their  gayety  and  content,  their 
simple  pleasures,  and  unfettered  liberty,  with  the  galling 
servitude  and  wearisome  tasks  now  imposed,  is  most  touch- 
ingly  and  eloquently  described  by  Irving.  Unable  to  en 
dure  the  unwonted  toil  and  hopeless  labor,  the  Indians 
vainly  endeavored  to  escape  to  the  mountains,  and,  sub 
sisting  upon  the  crude  products  of  the  forest,  to  evade  the 
cruelty  of  their  enslavers.  They  were  hunted  out,  and 


564  INDIAN  RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

compelled  to  return  to  their  homes  and  to  their  labors. 
The  unfortunate  Guacanagari,  receiving  no  favor  from  the 
suspicious  Spaniards,  and  being  an  object  of  the  deepest 
hatred  to  his  countrymen  for  the  part  he  had  taken  in  their 
struggle  for  freedom,  died  in  neglect  and  wretchedness 
among  the  mountains. 

In  1496,  Bartholomew,  a  brother  of  Columbus,  then 
exercising  the  office  of  adelantado  at  Hispaniola,  visited 
Behechio  at  his  remote  western  province  of  Xaraguay. 
He  was  received  with  hospitality  and  kindness  by  this  chief 
and  his  sister  Anacaona,  and  entertained  in  the  best  man 
ner  the  country  could  afford.  The  object  of  the  expedi 
tion  was  to  induce  the  cacique  to  comply  peaceably  with 
the  Spanish  requisitions  of  tribute.  Behechio  had  learned 
by  sad  experience  the  power  of  the  European  arms,  and, 
as,  the  adelantado  agreed  to  receive  the  tribute  in  such  arti 
cles  as  his  country  produced,  instead  of  gold,  he  readily 
consented.  Bartholomew's  judicious  policy  towards  these 
illustrious  islanders  gained  him  their  highest  esteem.  Be 
hechio  and  his  sister  paid  the  tribute  required  cheerfully 
and  promptly ;  and  upon  the  occasion  of  a  visit  from  the 
adelantado  to  receive  it,  they  both  took  occasion  to  visit 
the  caravel  in  which  he  had  arrived.  Anacaona,  especially, 
was  filled  with  delight  at  the  sight  of  the  vessel,  and  at 
witnessing  the  ease  and  certainty  with  which  its  movements 
were  controlled. 

The  females  of  Xaraguay  were  of  most  remarkable 
beauty,  but  preeminent  among  them  was  the  widow  of  Ca- 
onabo.  Her  queenly  demeanor,  grace,  and  courtesy,  won 
the  admiration  of  the  Spaniards. 

In  the  following  year  (1497)  another  insurrection  broke 
out  among  tribes  of  the  Vega  and  the  vicinity.  The  im 
mediate  cause  of  this  outbreak  was  the  execution,  at  the 
stake,  in  accordance  with  the  barbarity  and  bigotry  of  the 
age,  of  a  number  of  Indians,  for  the  offence  of  sacrilege. 


TRIBES   OF  THE   WEST   INDIES,   ETC.  565 

Guarionex,  the  principal  cacique,  had  been  an  object  of 
special  interest  with  the  ecclesiastics  to  whom  was  com 
mitted  the  work  of  converting  the  islanders.  His  easy 
and  pliable  disposition  caused  him  to  listen  patiently  to 
their  instructions,  and  to  comply  with  numerous  forms  of 
their  enjoining.  Some  one  of  the  Spaniards  having  com 
mitted  an  outrage  upon  his  wife,  Guarionex  refused  to  lis 
ten  further  to  the  doctrines  of  a  religion  whose  professors 
were  guilty  of  such  villanies.  Shortly  after  this,  a  chapel 
was  broken  open,  and  images  enshrined  within  it  were  de 
stroyed  by  a  number  of  the  natives.  For  this  offence, 
those  implicated  were  burned  alive,  as  above  mentioned. 
The  adelantado  suppressed  the  consequent  uprising  by  a 
prompt  and  energetic  seizure  of  the  leading  chiefs.  Two 
of  these  were  put  to  death,  but  Guarionex  and  the  others 
were  pardoned. 

By  the  persuasions  and  influence  of  the  rebellious  Rol- 
dan,  the  unfortunate  cacique  was,  in  1498,  drawn  into  a 
second  conspiracy  of  the  natives.  The  plot  was  prema 
turely  developed,  and  Guarionex  fled  from  the  plains  of 
the  Vega  into  the  mountains  of  Ciguay,  and  joined  his 
fortunes  to  those  of  the  cacique  Mayonabex.  This  gener 
ous  and  noble  chief  received  him,  with  his  family  and  a 
few  followers,  under  his  protection. 

From  this  retreat,  with  the  assistance  of  Ciguayan  war 
riors,  the  fugitive  was  enabled  to  molest  the  Spanish  settle 
ments  of  the  low  country  with  impunity,  until  the  Adelan 
tado  Bartholomew  invaded  the  mountain  district,  dispersed 
the  armies  of  Mayonabex,  and  took  both  him  and  his  guest 
prisoners.  The  conqueror  was  more  placable  towards  a 
fallen  foe  than  most  of  his  countrymen,  and,  upon  the  sub 
mission  of  the  Ciguayans,  was  ready  to  accord  them  pro 
tection  and  favor.  Guarionex  perished,  in  1502,  on  his 
passage  for  Spain,  in  the  same  vessel  with  Bobadilla  and 
Roldan.  The  ship  foundered  at  sea  in  a  terrible  hurricane, 


566  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

which,  arose  immediately  after  the  departure  from  His- 
paniola. 

It  was  under  the  administration  of  Bobadilla  that  the 
Indians  of  Hispaniola  were  reduced  to  a  more  complete 
and  systematic  condition  of  slavery  than  before.  They 
were  regularly  parcelled  out  to  the  Spanish  proprietors 
of  the  mines,  by  whom  they  were  compelled  to  labor  far 
beyond  their  powers  of  endurance,  and  whose  wanton  cru 
elties  excited  the  strongest  indignation  in  the  mind  of  the 
benevolent  Las  Casas  —  one  of  the  few  historians  of  his 
age  and  nation,  who  possessed  the  inclination  or  courage 
to  paint  the  cruelties  of  his  countrymen  in  their  true 
colors.  This  truly  benevolent  man  devoted  the  greater 
portion  of  his  life  to  efforts  for  ameliorating  the  condition 
of  the  natives  of  the  New  World,  but  in  his  sympathy 
with  their  sufferings  and  oppressions,  he  unfortunately  lost 
sight  of  what  was  due  to  another  scarcely  less  unfortunate 
race.  He  was  among  the  earliest  to  advocate  the  substitu 
tion  of  negro  slavery  for  that  of  the  Indians,  under  the 
impression  —  doubtless  in  itself  just  —  that  a  state  of  ser 
vitude  was  less  intolerable  to  the  one  than  the  other.  It 
is  to  Las  Casas  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  most  frightful 
detail  of  wrong  and  cruelty  in  the  settlement  of  the  West 
Indies,  that  ever  disgraced  human  nature.  His  descriptions 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  native  population  was  annihi 
lated  to  minister  to  the  luxury  and  avarice  —  nay,  far 
worse,  to  the  depraved  and  wanton  cruelty  of  the  Span 
iards  —  are  frightful  in  the  extreme.  We  can  share  in  the 
honest  indignation  of  old  Purchas,  from  whose  "  Pilgrim 
age  "  we  cite  the  following  items  : 

"  In  the  Island  Hispaniola  the  Spaniards  had  their  first 
Indian  habitations,  where  their  cruelties  drove  the  Indians 
to  their  shifts,  and  to  their  weak  defence,  which  caused 
those  enraged  lions  to  spare  neither  man,  woman,  nor 
child.  —  They  set  up  gibbets,  and  in  honor  of  Christ 


TRIBES   OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,   ETC.  567 

and  his  twelve  apostles  (as  they  said,  and  could  the  devil 
say  worse  ? )  they  would  both  hang  and  burn  them.  *  * 
The  nobles  and  commanders  they  broiled  on  gridirons, 
*  *  *  they  had  dogs  to  hunt  them  out  of  their  coverts, 
which  devoured  the  poor  souls :  and  because  sometimes 
the  Indians,  thus  provoked,  would  kill  a  Spaniard,  if  they 
found  opportunity,  they  made  a  law  that  an  hundred  of 
them  should  for  one  Spaniard  be  slain." 

He  elsewhere  remarks  : 

"  Here  [in  Cuba]  was  a  cacique  named  Hathuey,  which 
called  his  subjects  about  him,  and  showing  them  a  box  of 
gold,  said  that  was  the  Spaniards'  God,  and  made  them 
dance  about  it  very  solemnly ;  and  lest  the  Spaniards 
should  have  it,  he  hurled  it  into  the  river.  Being  taken 
and  condemned  to  the  fire,  when  he  was  bound  to  the 
stake,  a  friar  came  and  preached  heaven  to  him,  and  the 
terrors  of  hell.  Hathuey  asked  if  there  were  any  "Span 
iards  in  heaven ;  the  friar  answered,  yea,  such  as  were 
good.  Hathuey  replied,  he  would  rather  go  to  hell  than 
go  where  any  of  that  cruel  nation  were.  I  was  once 
present,  saith  Casas,  when  the  inhabitants  of  one  town 
brought  us  forth  victuals,  and  met  us  with  great  kindness, 
and  the  Spaniards  without  any  cause  slew  three  thousand 
of  them,  of  every  age  and  sex.  I,  by  their  counsel,  sent 
to  other  towns  to  meet  us,  with  promise  of  good  dealing ; 
and  two  and  twenty  caciques  met  us,  which  the  captain, 
against  all  faith,  caused  to  be  burned." 

In  Hispaniola,  under  the  administration  of  Ovando,  suc 
cessor  to  Bobadilla,  the  sufferings  and  oppressions  of  the 
overtasked  natives  reached  their  climax.  It  would  be  but 
a  wearisome  repetition  of  barbarities  to  enumerate  the 
wrongs  perpetrated  against  the  submissive  inhabitants  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  principal  Spanish  settlements,  but  the 
expedition  against  the  province  of  Xaraguay  merits  a  more 
particular  attention.  This  was  in  the  year  1503.  Behe- 


568  INDIAN   RACES  OF  AMERICA. 

chio  was  dead,  but  his  sister  Anacaona  still  maintained  her 
influence  over  the  natives  of  that  district.  Upon  pretence 
of  an  intended  insurrection,  Ovando  determined  to  reduce 
Xaraguay  to  'a  condition  as  miserable  and  hopeless  as  that 
of  the  eastern  districts.  He  started  upon  this  expedition 
with  three  hundred  well-armed  infantry,  and  seventy- 
mounted  men.  The  army  entered  the  dominions  of  Ana 
caona  with  the  appearance  of  friendship,  and  the  queen, 
with  her  associate  caciques,  was  not  backward  in  rendering 
to  her  visitors  all  the  hospitalities  of  the  country.  Troops 
of  young  girls,  dancing  and  waving  branches  of  palm, 
ushered  them  into  the  principal  village,  where  they  were 
received  and  entertained  with  every  token  of  kindness  and 
good-will. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  any  adequate  motion  on 
the  part  of  the  ferocious  Ovando  for  the  treacherous  cruelty 
of  his  conduct  towards  his  hosts.  He  affected  to  believe 
that  a  conspiracy  was  on  foot  among  the  natives,  to  mas 
sacre  him  and  his  followers,  but,  judging  from  what  we 
can  learn  of  the  transaction,  there  existed  no  possible 
ground  for  such  a  suspicion.  The  course  taken  to  avert 
the  supposed  danger  was  as  follows.  All  the  caciques 
were  invited  to  attend,  with  their  people,  at  a  grand  festi 
val  or  exhibition  of  Spanish  martial  exercises.  When  the 
unsuspecting  Xaraguans  had  gathered  in  eager  curiosity  to 
behold  the  scene,  at  a  given  signal,  the  armed  Spaniards 
fell  upon  the  crowd,  and  a  scene  of  horrible  carnage  en 
sued.  Forty  of  the  chiefs,  it  is  said,  were  taken  prisoners, 
and  after  being  subjected  to  the  most  cruel  torments  to 
extort  from  them  a  confession  of  guilt,  the  house  where 
they  were  confined  was  set  on  fire,  and  the  whole  number 
perished  in  the  flames. 

Anacaona  was  carried  to  St.  Domingo,  tried,  adjudged 
guilty  of  an  attempt  at  insurrection,  and  hanged !  Her 
subjects  were  remorselessly  persecuted  ;  hunted  from  their 


TRIBES  OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,   ETC.  569 

retreats  among  the  mountains,  slain  like  wild  beasts,  or 
brought  into  the  most  servile  and  hopeless  bondage,  they 
attempted  no  resistance,  and  submitted  to  the  cruel  yoke 
of  their  tyrants. 

The  reduction  of  the  eastern  province  of  Higuey,  and 
the  execution  of  its  noble  and  gigantic  chief  Cotubanama, 
completed  the  Spanish  conquests  on  the  island  of  Hispan- 
iola.  The  details  of  the  barbarities  attendant  upon  this 
last  warfare,  as  given  by  Las  Casas,  are  too  horrible  and 
disgusting  for  minute  recital.  It  is  sufficient  that,  not  con 
tent  with  the  destruction  of  the  conquered  people,  without 
regard  to  age  and  sex,  the  Spaniards  tasked  their  ingenuity, 
to  devise  the  most  cruel  and  lingering  torments  in  the  mur 
der  of  their  prisoners. 

By  such  a  course  of  atrocities  were  the  West  India  isl 
ands  depopulated  of  their  original  inhabitants.  The  sum 
mary  with  which  Purchas  concludes  his  enumeration  of 
various  scenes  of  Spanish  cruelty,  is  too  quaint  and  forcible 
to  be  omitted.  "  But  why  do  I  longer  trace  them  in  their 
bloody  steps ;  seeing  our  author  that  relates  much  more 
than  I,  yet  protests  that  it  was  a  thousand  times  worse. 
*  *  How  may  we  admire  that  long-suffering  of  God, 
that  rained  not  a  flood  of  waters,  as  in  Noah's  time,  or  of 
fire,  as  in  Lot's,  or  of  stones,  as  in  Joshua's,  or  some  ven 
geance  from  heaven  upon  these  models  of  hell  ?  And  how 
could  hell  forbear  swallowing  such  prepared  morsels,  ex 
ceeding  the  beastliness  of  beasts,  inhumanity  of  wonted 
tyrants,  and  devilishness,  if  it  were  possible,  of  the  devils." 


570 


INDIAN  RACES   OP  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  CARIES.  — THEIR  ISLANDS  FIRST  VISITED  BY  COLUMBUS.  —  ORI 
GIN  AND  LOCATION  OF  THE  RACE.  —  TOKENS  OF  CANNIBALISM  SEEN 
BY  THE  SPANIARDS.  — CRUISE  AMONG  THE  ISLANDS.  —  DEMEANOR 
OF  PRISONERS  TAKEN.  —  RETURN  TO  HISPANIOLA  —DESTRUCTION 
OF  THE  FORTRESS  AT  THAT  ISLAND.  —  CAPTURE  OF  CAONABO  :  HIS 
DEATH.  — EXPULSION  OF  THE  NATIVES  FROM  THE  CARIBBEE  ISL 
ANDS. 

AT  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  America  by  Christopher 
Columbus,  the  fierce  and  celebrated  race  of  cannibals,  which 
forms  the  subject  of  the  present  chapter,  was  principally 
located  upon  the  beautiful  tropical  islands,  extending  from 
Porto  Rico  to  the  main  land  of  South  America.  The  ter 
ror  of  their  invasions,  felt  by  the  more  gentle  and  peace 
able  natives  of  the  greater  Antilles,  inspired  no  little  cu 
riosity  and  interest  in  the  minds  of  the  early  voyagers,  and 
Columbus  had  promised  the  assistance  of  the  Spanish  power 
to  check  their  ravages.  Upon  his  second  voyage,  in  1493, 
the  first  land  made  was  one  of  the  Caribbean  islands,  and  on 
the  following  day,  (November  4th,)  a  landing  was  effected 
at  Guadaloupe.  Here  the  first  intercourse  took  place  with 
the  terrible  Caribs. 

This  singular  race  of  savages,  according  to  tradition, 
had  its  origin  upon  the  continent  of  North  America,  among 
the  mountain  districts  of  the  central  United  States.  Per 
haps  they  might  have  sprung  from  the  same  stock  as  the 
warlike  Monacans  and  other  savage  tribes  of  the  interior, 
spoken  of  by  early  historians.  "They  are  said  to  have 
migrated,"  says  Mr.  Irving,  "  from  the  remote  valleys  em 
bosomed  in  the  Appalachian  mountains.  The  earliest 
notices  we  have  of  them  represent  them  with  their  weap 
ons  in  their  hands  ;  continually  engaged  in  wars  ;  winning 
their  way  and  shifting  their  abode,  until  in  the  course 


TRIBES   OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,  ETC.  571 

of  time  they  found  themselves  on  the  extreme  end  of  Flor 
ida."  Hence  they  made  their  way  from  one  island  to 
another  to  the  southern  continent.  "  The  archipelago  ex 
tending  from  Porto  Rico  to  Tobago,  was  their  strong-hold, 
and  the  island  of  Guadaloupe  in  a  manner  their  citadel." 

Whether  the  foregoing  account  of  the  original  deriva 
tion  of  the  race  be  the  correct  one,  it  would  be  difficult  to 
decide  at  this  distance  of  time.  When  first  known  to  Eu 
ropeans  the  different  nations  of  Caribs  were  widely  diffused 
upon  the  continent  of  South  America.  They  were  to  be 
found  upon  the  banks  of  the  Orinoco,  where  their  descend 
ants  are  living  at  this  day,  and,  still  farther  south,  in  Brazil. 
They  were  every  where  noted  for  the  same  fierce  and  war 
like  spirit.  Something  of  the  physical  characteristics  of 
the  inhabitants  of  eastern  Asia  has  been  observed  in  the 
Caribs  and  the  Guarani  tribes  who  inhabited  the  country 
north  of  the  Amazon.  As  described  by  D'Orbigny,  the 
following  peculiarities  are  noticeable  in  most  of  them. 
"  Complexion  yellowish  ;  stature  middle  ;  forehead  not  so 
much  arched  as  in  other  races  ;  eyes  obliquely  placed,  and 
raised  at  the  outer  angle." 

To  return  to  the  experience  of  the  discoverer  of  the  New 
World  at  the  Caribbee  islands.  At  the  landing  of  the 
Spaniards,  the  natives  fled  from  a  neighboring  village  into 
the  interior.  In  order  to  conciliate  them,  the  visitors  fast 
ened  hawks'-bells  and  attractive  ornaments  to  the  arms  of 
some  children  who  had  been  left  behind  in  the  hurry  of 
flight.  The  sight  of  human  remains,  among  other  things, 
"  the  head  of  a  young  man,  recently  killed,  which  was  yet 
bleeding,  and  some  parts  of  his  body  boiling  with  the 
flesh  of  geese  and  parrots,  and  others  roasting  before  the 
fire,"  at  once  suggested  the  thought  that  this  must  be  the 
country  of  the  Caribs.  Columbus  iook  a  number  of  the 
natives  prisoners,  and  carried  off  several  women  who  had 
been  held  in  captivity  by  the  islanders.  It  appeared  that 


572  INDIAN  RACES  OP  AMERICA. 

most  of  the  men  of  the  island  were  away  upon  some  war 
like  excursion. 

Pursuing  his  course  towards  Hispaniola,  or  Hayti,  where 
the  first  colony  had  been  planted  upon  his  preceding  voy 
age,  Columbus  sailed  by  numerous  islands  of  the  Caribbean 
group.  He  landed  at  Santa  Cruz,  called  Ayay  by  the  In 
dians,  and  secured  a  further  number  of  prisoners.  Some 
of  these  were  in  a  canoe,  and  offered  a  fierce  resistance 
when  they  saw  their  retreat  intercepted  by  one  of  the  Span 
ish  boats.  There  were  two  women  of  the  party,  one  of 
them  apparently  a  female  cacique,  and  these  showed  no 
less  valor  than  the  men.  They  were  taken  by  upsetting 
their  canoe  ;  but,  even  in  the  water,  they  resisted  stoutly 
to  the  last,  availing  themselves  of  every  point  of  sunken 
rock,  where  they  could  obtain  a  foothold,  to  discharge  their 
arrows.  One  of  the  men  was  a  son  of  the  queen,  and  his 
"  terrible  frowning  brow,  and  lion's  face,"  excited  the  ad 
miration  of  his  captors.  The  demeanor  of  the  whole  party 
reminds,  one  strongly  of  the  early  descriptions  of  the  Ma- 
quas  or  Mohawks  when  in  captivity. 

"  When  on  board,"  says  Irving,  "  the  Spaniards  could 
not  but  admire  their  untamed  spirit  and  fierce  demeanor. 
Their  hair  was  long  and  coarse,  their  eyes  encircled  with 
paint,  so  as  to  give  them  a  hideous  expression  ;  they  had 
bands  of  cotton  bound  firmly  above  and  below  the  muscu 
lar  parts  of  the  arms  and  legs,  so  as  to  cause  them  to  swell 
to  a  disproportionate  size,  which  was  regarded  by  them  as 
a  great  beauty,  a  custom  which  prevailed  among  various 
tribes  of  the  new  world.  Though  captives,  in  chains,  and 
in  the  power  of  their  enemies,  they  still  retained  a  frown 
ing  brow  and  an  air  of  defiance." 

Arriving  at  Hayti,  Columbus  found  the  settlement  at 
La  Navidad  laid  waste  and  abandoned.  Its  destruction 
was  owing  to  a  Carib  chief  named  Caonabo,  whose  warlike 
and  commanding  nature  had  gained  him  unbounded  au- 


TRIBES  OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,  ETC.  573 

thority  over  the  natives  of  the  island.  The  fact  of  his 
uniting  himself  with  another  race  by  which  his  own  na 
tion  was  regarded  with  the  utmost  detestation  and  dread, 
and  his  attainment  of  rank  and  influence  under  such 
circumstances,  are  sufficient  proofs  of  his  enterprise  and 
capacity. 

The  friendly  Indian  chief  Guacanagari  had  in  vain  ex 
tended  his  assistance  to  the  little  band  of  Spanish  colonists. 
Caonabo  had  heard  at  his  establishment  among  the  moun 
tains  of  Cibao,  of  the  outrages  and  excesses  committed  by 
the  whites,  and  during  the  absence  of  the  admiral,  he  made 
a  descent  upon  the  fort.  All  of  the  Spaniards  perished, 
and  Guacanagari  was  wounded  in  the  encounter.  As  a 
further  punishment  for  his  espousal  of  the  cause  of  the  de 
tested  strangers,  his  village  was  destroyed  by  the  revenge 
ful  Carib. 

Guacanagari  and  other  Haytian  Indians  were  taken  on 
board  the  Spanish  vessels,  and,  among  other  proofs  of  su 
periority  and  power,  were  shown  the  Carib  prisoners,  con 
fined  in  chains.  This  seemed  to  affect  them  more  powerfully 
than  any  thing  else  that  they  witnessed.  These  captives 
were  afterwards  sent  over  to  Spain  for  instruction  in  the 
Spanish  language  and  in  the  true  religion,  it  being  intended 
that  they  should  thereafter  act  as  missionaries  among  their 
owrn  savage  countrymen. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  capture  of  the  Span 
iards'  most  dreaded  enemy,  Caonabo,  are  too  singular  and 
well  attested  to  be  passed  over.  This  was  accomplished 
by  the  celebrated  Alonzo  de  Ojeda,  commandant  of  the 
fortress  of  St.  Thomas.  The  Carib  chief  was  able,  it  is 
asserted,  to  bring  no  less  than  ten  thousand  warriors  into 
the  field,  and  his  personal  strength  and  courage  rendered 
him  no  despicable  foe  in  open  combat.  Ojeda  had  recourse 
to  the  following  stratagem  to  secure  his  enemy :  He  pro 
ceeded,  accompanied  by  only  ten  mounted  companions, 


574  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

direct  to  the  chiefs  encampment,  upon  pretence  of  a  friend 
ly  mission  from  the  admiral. 

The  cacique  was,  after  great  persuasion,  induced  to 
undertake  an  expedition  to  Isabella  for  the  purpose  of 
peaceful  negotiations  with  Columbus.  Among  other  in 
ducements,  Ojeda  promised  him  the  chapel-bell,  as  a  pres 
ent.  Accompanied  by  a  large  body  of  armed  warriors, 
the  party  set  out  for  the  Spanish  settlement.  Near  the 
river  Yagui,  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Irving,  "  Ojeda  one  day 
produced  a  set  of  manacles  of  polished  steel,  so  highly 
burnished  that  they  looked  like  silver.  Those  he  assured 
Caonabo  were  royal  ornaments  which  had  come  from 
heaven,  or  the  Turey  of  Biscay,"  (the  location  of  certain 
extensive  iron  manufactories) ;  "  that  they  were  worn  by 
the  monarchs  of  Castile  in  solemn  dances,  and  other  high 
festivities,  and  were  intended  as  presents  to  the  cacique. 
He  proposed  that  Caonoba  should  go  to  the  river  and 
bathe,  after  which  he  should  be  decorated  with  these 
ornaments,  mounted  on  the  horse  of  Ojeda,  and  should 
return  in  the  state  of  a  Spanish  monarch,  to  astonish  his 
subjects." 

The  bold  device  was  completely  successful.  Caonabo, 
en  croupe  behind  Ojeda,  for  a  short  time  exulted  in  his 
proud  position,  curvetting  among  his  amazed  warriors ;  but 
suddenly  the  little  cavalcade  dashed  into  the  forest  with 
a  rapidity  that  defied  pursuit.  The  cacique  was  safely  car 
ried  a  distance  of  fifty  or  sixty  leagues  to  Isabella,  and 
delivered  to  the  admiral.  He  ever  after  expressed  great 
admiration  at  the  skill  and  courage  with  which  his  captor 
had  duped  him,  and  manifested  a  reverence  and  respect 
towards  Ojeda  which  his  proud  and  haughty  spirit  forbade 
him  to  exhibit  in  any  other  presence,  even  that  of  Colum 
bus  himself. 

Upon  the  occasion  of  the  admiral's  second  return  to 
Spain,  in  1497,  Caonabo,  with  several  of  his  relatives,  and 


TRIBES   OP   THE  WEST  INDIES,   ETC.  575 

a  number  of  other  Indians,  was  taken  on  board.  Baffled 
by  contrary  winds,  the  vessels  were  a  long  time  delayed  at 
the  very  commencement  of  the  voyage.  A  landing  was 
effected  at  Guadaloupe,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  fresh 
provisions. 

The  inhabitants  exhibited  their  natural  hostility  of 
disposition,  and  it  was  especially  observed,  as  upon  a 
former  occasion,  that  the  women  were  as  warlike  and  effi 
cient  as  the  men.  A  number  of  these  females  were  made 
prisoners,  among  the  rest,  one  who  was  wife  of  a  chief  of 
the  island,  a  woman  of  most  remarkable  agility  and  strength. 
On  setting  sail,  the  admiral,  desirous  of  conciliating  the 
good-will  of  the  natives,  set  his  prisoners  free,  and  gave 
them  divers  presents  in  pay  for  the  provisions  and  stores 
plundered  by  his  crew.  The  cacique's  wife  was  allowed 
to  remain  on  board,  with  her  daughter,  at  her  own  re 
quest,  she  having  become  enamoured  of  the  captive  Caonabo. 
This  distinguished  chieftain  died  before  the  vessels  reached 
Spain. 

The  Carib  tribes  who  occupied  the  islands  where  the 
race  was  first  encountered  by  Europeans,  maintained  pos 
session  of  their  homes  as  long  as  courage  and  desperation 
could  avail  against  the  superior  skill  and  weapons  of  the 
whites.  Spanish  cupidity,  and  love  of  novelty  and  ad 
venture  led  to  the  gradual  occupation  of  the  Caribbee 
islands.  In  some  of  them,  bloody  battles  were  fought :  "At 
St.  Christopher's,"  according  to  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Brett,  "  in 
1625,  two  thousand  Caribs  perished  in  battle,  whilst  their 
European  invaders  lost  one  hundred  men.  In  the  other 
islands  their  losses  were  equally  great.  These  calamities 
would  cause  a  migration  of  the  natives  when  they  found  it 
useless  to  fight  any  more.  Some  of  the  islands,  as  Mar- 
tinico,  were  suddenly  abandoned  by  them,  after  a  fierce 
but  unavailing  struggle. 

Those  of  the  Caribs  who  chose  to  forsake  the  islands 


576  INDIAN  BACES   OF  AMERICA. 

entirely,  would  naturally  take  refuge  with  their  brethren 
already  settled  in  Guiana,  and  by  their  valor  secure  to 
themselves  such  portions  of  the  country  as  they  might 
think  proper  to  occupy ;  as  few  tribes  would  be  able,  or 
indeed  dare,  to  oppose  them.  A  remnant  of  the  Caribs 
still  remained  at  St.  Vincent,  and  they  were  transported, 
about  the  end  of  the  last  century,  to  the  island  of  Ruattan, 
in  the  bay  of  Honduras." 

This  once  terrible  and  dreaded  race  —  so  dreaded  by  the 
Spaniards  that  vague  reports  of  the  approach  of  an  army 
of  Caribs  could  terrify  the  conquerors  of  Peru  in  the  midst 
of  their  successes  —  is  now  reduced  to  a  few  insignificant 
tribes.  They  are  scattered  in  the  wilderness  of  Guiana, 
and  mingled  with  other  nations  of  the  interior.  About 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Pomeroon  is  one  of  their  most 
considerable  establishments,  and  the  tribe  there  located 
numbers  but  a  few  hundred  savages,  living  in  almost  as 
primitive  a  state  as  when  Columbus  first  coasted  along 
these  tropical  shores. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

INDIANS  OP  GUIANA  AND  VENEZUELA. —  CLASSIFICATION.  — THE  ARA- 
WAKS.  —  FIRST  SEEN  BY  COLUMBUS.  —  ENTRY  INTO  THE  GULF  OF 
PARIA.- HOSPITALITY  OF  THE  NATIVES.  — RALEIGH'S  VISIT  TO  THE 
ORINOCO.  — EARLY  WARS  OF  THE  ARAWAKS.  — VICTORY  OVER  THE 
CARIBS.  — MAROON  NEGROES.  —  PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  ARA 
WAKS.— OTHER  TRIBES  OF  THE  INTERIOR — GENERAL  DESCRIP 
TION. 

THE  tribes  who  inhabit  the  wilderness  between  the 
Amazon  and  the  sea-coast  settlements  at  the  north,  upon 
the  Caribbean  Sea  and  the  Atlantic,  have  been  classified  as 
belonging  to  the  same  family  with  the  aboriginal  inhabit- 


TRIBES    OF    THE   WEST    INDTKS,    ETC. 


579 


ants  of  Brazil.  The  race  has  been  denominated  the  "  Bra- 
silio  Guaarani,"  and  has  been  divided  into  the  nations  of 
Guarani,  Caribs,  Tupi,  and  Botocudos. 

In  Guiana  one  of  the  most  prominent  tribes  is  that  of 
the  Arawaks.  These  people  inhabit  a  great  extent  of 
country  directly  back  of  the  narrow  strip  of  cultivated 
sea-coast.  Nearly  the  whole  of  their  territory  is  a  savage 
wilderness,  in  which  the  traveller  in  vain  seeks  for  any 
evidence  of  progress,  or  any  tokens  of  former  civilization 
and  prosperity.  A  few  rude  figures,  marked  upon  the 
rocks  in  certain  localities,  are  the  only  records  of  the  num 
berless  generations  which  have  passed  away,  leaving  their 
descendants  precisely  in  the  situation  of  those  who  pre 
ceded  them,  and  as  hopeless  or  careless  of  improvement. 
The  Arawaks  were  the  first  natives  seen  by  Columbus, 
upon  the  occasion  of  his  discovery  of  the  continent  of 
South  America,  in  the  summer  of  1498. 

The  first  land  made  was  the  island  of  Trinidad,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  great  river  Orinoco.  No  Indians  were  seen 
upon  the  island  by  a  party  sent  on  shore,  although  unmis 
takable  tokens  of  a  recent  and  hasty  retreat  were  visible. 
As  the  vessels  approached  the  Serpent's  Mouth,  (the  south 
ern  entrance  to  the  gulf  of  Paria,)  twenty-five  of  the 
natives  made  their  appearance  in  a  canoe.  To  the  aston 
ishment  of  the  admiral,  who  had  expected,  from  the  reports 
at  Hispaniola,  to  find  a  race  of  negroes  in  these  southern 
latitudes,  they  were  of  lighter  complexion  than  any  with 
whom  he  had  before  held  intercourse.  Their  figures  were 
well  proportioned  and  graceful;  their  only  clothing  was  a 
sort  of  turban,  and  a  waistband  of  colored  cotton;  and 
their  arms  were  bows  and  arrows.  When  an  attempt  was 
made  to  conciliate  these  wild  voyagers  by  dancing  and 
music,  it  was  mistaken  for  a  sign  of  hostility,  and  the  sup 
posed  war-dance  was  summarily  stopped  by  a  flight  of 
arrows.  The  suspicions  of  the  natives  prevented  the 
33 


580  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

opening  of  any  communication  with  them  until  after  the 
entry  of  the  ships  into  the  gulf.  Several  of  them  were 
then  taken  by  upsetting  their  canoe,  and,  after  being  kindly 
entreated  and  encouraged,  were  dismissed  with  the  usual 
presents  of  trinkets  and  hawks'-bells.  When  the  fears  of 
the  inhabitants  were  dissipated  by  this  procedure,  they 
were  easier  to  crowd  about  the  vessels  in  their  canoes. 

O 

These  latter  were  of  excellent  construction  and  large  size  ; 
some  of  them  were  even  furnished  with  a  cabin. 

The  cacique  of  the  county  received  the  Spaniards  at  his 
house  with  the  greatest  respect  and  hospitality,  and  feasted 
them  upon  whatever  luxuries  the  fruitful  soil  produced. 
"  Nothing,"  says  Irving,  (t  could  exceed  the  kindness  and 
amity  of  this  people,  heightened  as  it  was  by  an  intelligent 
demeanor  and  a  martial  frankness.  They  seemed  worthy 
of  the  beautiful  country  they  inhabited.  It  was  a  cause  of 
great  concern,  both  to  them  and  to  the  Spaniards,  that  they 
could  not  understand  each  other's  language." 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  entered  the  Orinoco  in  the  year  1595, 
and  brought  home  some  account  of  the  natives  seen  there. 

O 

As  recorded  by  Purchas  :  "  The  inhabitants  on  the  north 
ern  branches  are  the  Tiuitiuas,  a  goodly  and  valiant  people, 
which  have  the  most  manly  speech  and  most  deliberate 
(saith  Sir  Walter)  that  ever  I  heard  of  whatever  nation 
soever.  In  the  summer  they  have  houses  on  the  ground, 
•  Kinw  Abibda  as  ^n  'Other  places  :  in  the  winter  they  dwelt 
dwelt  on  a  tree  upon  the  trees,6  where  they  built  very  ar- 

in     the     country     tificial     t()wng     and     ^  for      between 

of   Danen.  . 

Pet.  Martyr :  May  and  September-  the  river  of  Orinoco 
Dec.  3.  lib.  6.  rjses  thirty  feet  upright,  and  then  are  those 
islands  overflown  twenty  feet  high,  except  in  some  few 
raised  grounds  in  the  middle.  This  watery  store,  when 
the  clouds  are  so  prodigal  of  more  than  the  rivers'  store 
house  can  hold,  whereby  they  became  violent  intruders 
and  encroachers  upon  the  land,  and  not  the  violence  of 


TRIBES   OF   THE   WEST  INDIES,   ETC.  581 

cold,  gives  this  time  the  title  of  winter.  These  Tiuitiuas 
never  eat  of  any  thing  that  is  set  or  sown ;  Nature's  nurs 
lings,  that  neither  at  home  nor  abroad,  will  be  beholden 
to  the  art  or  labor  of  husbandry.  They  use  the  tops 
of  palmettos  for  bread,  and  kill  deer,  fish,  and  pork,  for 
the  rest  of  their  sustenance.  They  which  dwell  upon 
the  branches  of  the  Orinoco,  called  Capuri  and  Macureo, 
are  for  the  most  part  carpenters  of  canoes,  which  they 
sell  Into  Guiana  for  gold,  and  into  Trinidad  for  tobacco, 
in  the  excessive  taking  whereof,  they  exceed  all  nations. 
"When  a  commander  dies,  they  use  great  lamentation,  and 
when  they  think  the  flesh  of  their  bodies  is  putrefied  and 
fallen  from  the  bones,  they  take  up  the  carcass  again, 
and  hang  it  up  in  the  house,  where  he  had  dwelt,  decking 
his  skull  with  feathers  of  all  colors,  and  hanging  his  gold- 
plates  about  the  bones  of  his  arms,  thighs,  and  legs. 
The  Arwacas,  which  dwell  on  the  south  of  the  Orinoco, 
beat  the  bones  of  their  lords  into  powder,  which  their 
wives  and  friends  drink." 

In  early  times  the  Arawaks  were  engaged  in  perpetual 
wars  with  the  Caribs.  Tho^e  of  the  latter  race,  who  inhab 
ited  the  nearest  Caribbean  islands,  made  continual  descents 
upon  the  main,  but  are  said,  finally,  to  have  been  worsted. 
The  Rev.  "W.  H.  Brett  recounts  some  of  the  traditions  still 
handed  down  among  the  Arawaks  of  these  wars.  "  They 
have,"  says  he,  "  an  indistinct  idea  of  cruelties  perpetrated 
by  the  Spaniards.  Tradition  has  preserved  the  remem 
brance  of  white  men  clothed  with  '  seperari '  or  iron, 
who  drove  their  fathers  before  them,  and,  as  some  say, 
hunted  them  with  dogs  through  the  forest.  But  by  far 
the  greater  number  of  their  traditions  relate  to  engage 
ments  between  themselves  and  the  Caribs  on  the  main 
land."  With  peculiar  exultation  they  detail  the  particu 
lars  of  a  victory  obtained  over  a  great  body  of  these 
invaders  by  means  of  a  judicious  ambush.  The  Arawaks 


582  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

had  fled  from  their  approach  to  the  low  marshy  country 
upon  the  Waini,  and  laid  their  ambuscade  upon  either 
side  of  the  narrow  channel  through  which  the  enemy  were 
expected  to  pass.  "  The  Caribs  are  said  to  have  had  a 
great  number  of  canoes  of  large  size,  which  followed  each 
other,  in  line,  through  the  mazy  channels  of  the  Savannah . 
As  they  rounded  a  certain  island,  their  painted  warriors 
in  the  first  canoe  were  transfixed  by  a  shower  of  arrows 
from  an  unseen  enemy  on  both  sides  of  them,  and  totally 
disabled.  Those  in  the  second  canoe  shared  the  same  fate ; 
the  others,  who  could  not  see  what  had  happened,  hurried 
forward  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  cries,  but  each  canoe, 
as  it  reached  the  fatal  spot,  was  saluted  by  a  deadly  shower 
of  arrows.  The  Arawaks  then  rushed  forward,  and  fought 
till  the  victory  was  completed.  It  is  said  that  only  two 
Caribs  survived,  and  they  were  dismissed  by  the  Arawak 
chieftain,  on  promise  of  a  ransom  to  be  paid  in  cotton 
hammocks,  for  the  manufacture  of  which  their  nation  is 
noted." 

After  the  settlement  of  difficulties  between  the  European 
colonists  of  Guiana  and  the  neighboring  Indian  tribes,  the 
introduction  of  negro  slaves  by  the  former  proved  a  ter 
rible  scourge  to  the  natives.  Great  numbers  of  the  Afri 
cans  escaped  from  their  masters,  into  the  wilderness,  and 
there  forming  predatory  bands,  were  long  a  terror  to  both 
whites  and  Indians.  "  The  accounts  which  the  Arawaks 
have  received  from  their  ancestors,  represent  these  negroes 
as  equally  ferocious  with  the  Caribs,  and  more  to  be  dreaded 
on  account  of  their  superior  bodily  strength." 

The  Arawaks  of  the  present  day  are,  like  their  forefath 
ers,  a  more  mild  and  peaceable  race  than  many  of  their 
neighbors.  In  their  domestic  relations  and  general  man 
ner  of  life,  they  do  not  differ  materially  from  the  gener 
ality  of  the  North  American  savages.  Together  with  the 
rude  clubs,  bows  and  arrows,  &c.,  so  universal  among  bar- 


TRIBES    OF   THE   WEST   INDIES,    ETC.  583 

barous  nations,  they  have  the  more  efficient  weapons  of 
the  European.  The  Indian  is  every  where  quick  to  per 
ceive  the  advantage  of  fire-arms,  and  apt  in  acquiring  their 
use.  Christian  missionaries  have  devoted  themselves  with 
great  zeal  and  perseverance  to  the  instruction  and  improve 
ment  of  this  tribe,  and  the  natural  kindly  disposition  of 
the  race  seems  to  favor  the  undertaking. 

Besides  the  Caribs  and  Arawaks,  the  principal  Indian 
tribes  of  Guiana  are  the  Waraus,  and  the  Wacawoios  ;  in 
addition  to  these  are  the  minor  nations  of  the  Arecunas, 
Zaparas,  Soerikongs,  Woyawais,  Pianoghottos,  &c.,  &c. 
Most  of  these  are  barbarous  tribes,  not  sufficiently  variant 
from  each  other  to  render  a  distinct  consideration  valuable 
or  interesting. 

The  vast  wilderness  which  they  inhabit  is  little  visited 
by  whites.  From  the  coast  settlements  the  only  available 
routes  into  the  interior  are  by  means  of  the  numerous  riv 
ers,  upon  whose  banks  missionary  enterprise  has  here  and 
there  established  a  little  settlement  as  a  nucleus  for  future 
operations  among  the  natives  at  large.  From  Mr.  Brett's 
narrative  of  his  own  observation  and  experience  in  these 
wilds,  we  quote  the  following  items  of  general  description : 

"  The  appearance  of  the  Indian  in  his  natural  state  is 
not  unpleasing  when  the  eye  has  become  accustomed  to 
his  scanty  attire.  He  is  smaller  in  size  than  either  the 
European  or  the  negro,  nor  does  he  possess  the  bodily 
strength  of  either  of  these.  Few  of  his  race  exceed  five 
feet  five  inches  in  height,  and  the  greater  number  are 
much  shorter.  They  are  generally  well  made  ;  many  are 
rather  stout  in  proportion  to  their  height,  and  it  is  very 
rare  to  see  a  deformed  person  among  them." 

In  respect  to  dress,  which,  both  for  men  and  women,  is 
of  the  most  scanty  proportions,  (consisting  only  of  a  band 
age  about  the  loins,  with  perhaps  a  few  ornamental  articles 
of  feather-work  for  state  occasions,)  the  efforts  of  the 


584  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

missionaries  have  effected  some  change  in  those  brought 
under  their  influence.  In  a  burning  tropical  clime,  the 
propriety  or  policy  of  such  fancied  improvement  is  very 
questionable.  If  no  immodesty  is  connected  with  naked 
ness  in  the  eyes  of  the  unsophisticated  natives,  it  would 
seem  hardly  worth  while  to  enlighten  them  upon  such  a 
subject,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  conformity  to 
European  customs. 

Our  author  continues  :  "  Their  color  is  a  copper  tint, 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  the  skin,  where  constantly  covered 
from  the  sun,  is  little  darker  than  that  of  the  natives  of 
Southern  Europe.  Their  hair  is  straight  and  coarse,  and 
continues  perfectly  black  till  an  advanced  period  of  life. 
The  general  expression  of  the  face  is  pleasing,  though  it 
varies  with  the  tribe  and  the  disposition  of  each  person. 
Their  eyes  are  black  and  piercing,  and  generally  slant 
upwards  a  little  towards  the  temple,  which  would  give  an 
unpleasant  expression  to  the  face,  were  it  not  relieved  by 
the  sweet  expression  of  the  mouth.  The  forehead  gen 
erally  recedes,  though  in  a  less  degree  than  in  the  African ; 
there  is,  however,  much  difference  in  this  respect,  and  in 
some  individuals  it  is  well  formed  and  prominent." 

The  usual  division  of  labor  among  savage  nations  is 
observed  in  Guiana.  The  daily  drudgery  of  the  household 
belongs  to  the  women,  who  also  cultivate  the  small  fields 
in  which  the  yuca,  (the  root  from  which  they  make  their 
bread,)  and  the  other  cultivated  crops  are  raised.  The 
men  pursue  their  hunting  and  fishing,  and  undertake  the 
more  severe  labors  attendant  upon  the  building  their  huts, 
the  clearing  of  new  ground,  &c. 

The  native  dwelling  is  generally  little  more  than  a  roof 
of  palm-leaf  thatch  supported  upon  posts,  between  which 
hang  the  cotton  hammocks  in  which  the  occupants  sleep. 
Some  few  implements  of  iron-ware,  and  articles  of  pottery 
of  a  more  substantial  and  practical  form  than  that  maim- 


TRIBES   OP   THE   WEST   INDIES,    ETC.  585 

factured  by  themselves,  are  generally  procured  by  trade 
with  the  coast,  but  these  are  all  of  the  simplest  description. 
Maize,  with  cassava,  yams,  potatoes,  and  other  roots, 
constitutes  their  principal  vegetable  food.  The  cassava  is 
prepared  by  grating,  or  scraping,  and  subsequent  pressure 
in  a  receptacle  of  basket-work.  This  strainer  is  constructed 
in  the  form  of  a  "  long  tube,  open  at  the  top  and  closed  at 
the  bottom,  to  which  a  strong  loop  is  attached.  The  pulpy 
mass  of  cassava  is  placed  in  this,  and  it  is  suspended  from 
a  beam.  One  end  of  a  large  staff  is  then  placed  through 
the  loop  at  the  bottom,  the  woman  sits  upon  the  centre  of 
the  staff,  or  attaches  a  heavy  stone  to  the  end,  and  the 
weight  stretches  the  elastic  tube,  which  presses  the  cassava 
inside,  causing  the  juice  to  flow  through  the  interstices  of 
the  plaited  material  of  which  it  is  made.  This  liquor  is 
carefully  collected  in  a  vessel  placed  beneath.  It  is  a  most 
deadly  poison  ;  but  after  being  boiled,  it  becomes  perfectly 
wholesome,  and  is  the  nutritious  sauce,  called  casareep, 
which  forms  the  principal  ingredient  in  the  pepper-pot,  a 
favorite  dish  of  the  country." 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PERU. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PHYSICAL  PECULIARITIES  OF  THE  QUICHUAS,  AYMARAS,  ATACAMAS, 
AND  CHANGOS.  —  NATURE -OF  THE  COUNTRY.  —  PERUVIAN  WORKS  OF 
ART,  ETC.  — FIRST  RUMORS  OF  THE  WEALTH  OF  THE  COUNTRY.— 
EXPEDITION  OF  PASCUAL  DE  ANDAGOYA.  — FRANCISCO  PIZARRO : 
HIS  FIRST  VOYAGE  OF  DISCOVERY.  —  ALMAGRO'S  VOYAGE.— CON 
TRACT  OF  PIZARRO,  ALMAGRO,  AND  LUdUE.  —  THE  SECOND  EXPE 
DITION.— PIZARRO  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS  UPON  THE  ISLE  OF  GOR 
GON  A.— CONTINUATION  OF  THE  VOYAGE.  —  TUMBEZ.  —  RETURN  TO 
PANAMA. 

THE  Peruvian  and  Araucanian  races  alone,  among  the 
South  American  aborigines,  present  subjects  of  interest  to 
the  historian.  The  other  tribes  of  that  great  portion  of 
the  western  continent  are  at  an  infinite  remove  from  these 
in  the  scale  of  civilization,  and  can  scarce  be  said  to  have 
any  separate  national  history.  We  shall  describe  their 
habits  and  physical  appearance,  much  as  we  should  enter 
upon  the  duties  of  the  writer  upon  natural  history  :  an 
attempt  to  arrange  a  serial  narrative  of  events,  as  con 
nected  with  them  would  be  useless. 

Widely  contrasted  with  the  wild  and  savage  tribes  of 
the  interior,  and  of  the  eastern  coast,  the  Peruvians  offer, 
in  their  character  and  history,  a  fruitful  theme  for  the 
attention  and  research  of  the  historian  and  the  philoso 
pher.  As  a  nation,  they  were,  when  discovered  by  Euro 
peans,  perfectly  unique.  Such  refinements  in  government, 

(586) 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  589 

such  unity  of  purpose,  and  such  perfect  system,  as  were 
observable  in  all  their  customs  and  usages,  have  never  been 
even  attempted,  much  less  accomplished,  by  any  other 
community  throughout  the  globe. 

The  physical  conformation  of  the  Quichua  race,  the 
most  prominent  among  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Peru,  is 
somewhat  singular.  The  effects  of  living  at  such  an  im 
mense  elevation  as  that  of  many  of  their  cities,  and  of  the 
great  plateaus  which  they  inhabit  among  the  Andes,  cause 
a  remarkable  development  of  the  chest.  The  rarity  of  the 
air  in  mountainous  districts  render  a  much  greater  volume 
of  it  necessary  in  respiration.  The  Quichuas  have  there 
fore,  according  to  M.  d'Orbigny,  "very  large,  square 
shoulders,  a  broad  chest,  very  voluminous,  highly  arched, 
and  longer  than  usual,  which  increases  the  size  of  the 
trunk.  *  *  The  extremities  are  nevertheless,  very  muscu 
lar,  and  bespeak  great  strength ;  the  head  is  larger  than 
usual  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  body ;  the  hands  and 
feet  are  always  small." 

The  Quichuas  differ,  in  a  marked  manner,  from  most  of 
the  other  South  American  nations,  in  the  features  of  the 
countenance.  These  are  said  in  some  degree  to  approach 
the  Mexican  type.  A  prominent  aquiline  nose,  large  nos 
trils,  the  forehead  somewhat  retreating,  a  moderately  full 
cerebral  development,  rather  a  large  mouth,  adorned  with 
fine  teeth,  and  a  short  but  well  defined  chin,  may  be  given 
as  generally  characteristic  of  the  race. 

The  Quichuas  have  beautifully  soft,  thick,  and  flowing 
hair,  but  are  almost  destitute  of  beards.  Their  complex 
ion  is  a  brown  olive,  entirely  distinct  from  the  reddish  or 
copper  hue  of  most  of  the  North  American  Indians.  It 
approaches  that  of  the  mulatto  more  nearly  than  that  of 
the  other  American  aborigines,  and  is  spoken  of  as  singu 
larly  uniform.  They  are  of  low  stature,  particularly  those 
who  live  in  the  more  elevated  regions.  Their  general 


590  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

physiognomy,  in  the  words  of  the  author  above  cited,  "  is, 
upon  the  whole,  uniform,  serious,  reflective,  melancholy, 
without,  however,  showing  indifference  :  it  denotes  rather 
penetration  without  frankness.  *  *  Their  features  alto 
gether  retain  a  mediocrity  of  expression.  The  women 
are  seldom  very  handsome ;  their  noses  are  not  so  promi 
nent  or  curved  as  those  of  the  men:  the  latter,  although 
they  have  no  beard,  have  a  masculine  expression,  derived 
from  their  strongly-marked  features.  An  ancient  vase, 
which  represents  with  striking  fidelity,  the  features  of  the 
present  race  of  Quichuas  convinces  us  that  for  four  and 
five  centuries  their  physiognomy  has  undergone  no  sensible 
alteration." 

The  Aymaras,  the  second  in  the  grand  division  of  the 
Peruvian  races,  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  those  just 
described.  In  early  times  the  strange  and  unnatural  cus 
tom  of  flattening  the  head  obtained  among  them,  as  is 
fully  proved  by  the  contour  of  many  skulls  found  in  their 
ancient  places  of  burial  or  deposit. 

No  material  variation  from  the  Quichuan  bodily  forma 
tion  is  noticeable  in  the  Atacamas,  who  inhabit  the  western 
slope  of  the  Andes  ;  but  the  Changos,  dwelling  upon  the 
hot  levels  of  the  sea-coast,  "  are  of  darker  hue  :  their 
color  is  a  tawny,  approaching  to  black." 

The  country  inhabited  by  these  three  races,  although 
lying  within  the  tropics,  and  in  certain  localities  luxuri 
antly  rich  and  fertile,  presents  obstacles  to  the  agricultur 
alist,  which  would  seem  almost  insurmountable.  Nothing 
but  the  whole  industry  of  a  great  nation,  directed  system 
atically  to  the  work  of  reclamation  and  improvement, 
could  ever  have  made  Peru  what  it  was  in'  the  days  of 
the  Incas. 

A  flat  and  sterile  plain,  washed  by  the  Pacific,  forms  the 
western  boundary  of  the  ancient  empire.  On  this  district 
rain  never  falls  ;  at  least,  the  few  drops  which  at  certain 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  591 

seasons  sprinkle  the  surface,  are  insufficient  to  avail  in  the 
slightest  degree  for  the  promotion  of  fertility.  From  the 
stupendous  mountain  ranges  which  extend  in  an  unbroken 
course  throughout  the  western  sea-board  of  South  Ameri 
ca,  impetuous  torrents  pour  down  through  the  plains 
towards  the  sea,  and,  by  a  laborious  and  ingenious  diver 
sion,  these  streams  were  led  by  the  ancient  Peruvians  in 
long  and  massive  aqueducts  to  irrigate  the  plain  or  the 
terraces  wrought  upon  the  steep  sides  of  the  mountains. 
Some  mention  has  been  made,  in  a  former  chapter,  of  the 
ruins  which  still  remain  to  attest  the  advancement  and  en 
terprise  of  the  ancient  Peruvians,  particularly  of  the  great 
roads  by  which  ready  communication  was  opened  over  the 
most  rugged  and  naturally  impassable  country  in  the  world. 
A  further  description  of  some  of  these  relics  will  be  given 
hereafter,  as  connected  with  their  wonderful  system  of 
government,  and  its  effects  in  the  accomplishment  of  pub 
lic  works. 


Mexico  had  already  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Span 
iards,  and  their  settlements  had  long  been  established  upon 
the  Isthmus,  before  the  world  obtained  any  knowledge 
of  the  western  coast  of  South  America.  The  national 
thirst  for  gold,  only  the  more  excited  by  the  successes  in 
contest  with  the  Aztecs,  was  roused  anew  by  reports  gath 
ered  from  the  natives  of  the  Isthmus,  of  a  far  richer  and 
more  magnificent  empire  at  the  South. 

The  first  attempt  to  explore  the  coast  to  the  southward 
had  been  made  in  1522,  by  Pascual  de  Andagoya,  but 
he  proceeded  no  further  than  the  Puerto  de  Pinas,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  small  river  Biru.  Two  years  passed 
away  without  any  further  discoveries,  at  the  end  of  which 
time,  the  matter  was  taken  in  hand  by  a  man  whose  char 
acter  leaves  us  at  a  loss  whether  \ve  should  the  more 


592  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

admire  his  courage,  fortitude,  and  indomitable  energy,  or 
execrate  his  cruelty  and  unscrupulous  rapacity.  This  man 
was  Francisco  Pizarro.  He  was,  at  this  time,  about  fifty 
years  of  age,  the  last  ten  of  which,  at  least,  he  had  passed 
amid  the  stirring  scenes  of  discovery  and  conquest  in  the 
New  World.  He  had,  among  other  adventures,  shared 
the  dangers  and  the  exultation  of  Vasco  Nugnez  de  Bal 
boa,  in  his  first  passage  of  the  Isthmus,  and  his  discov 
ery  of  the  Western  Ocean.  He  was  now  residing  near 
Panama,  and  is  said  to  have  accumulated  but  a  small 
landed  property  as  the  reward  of  his  long  labors  and 
privations. 

Pizarro  was  the  illegitimate  son  of  a  colonel  of  infantry, 
named  Gonzalo  Pizarro,  and  a  woman  of  low  rank,  resid 
ing  at  Truxillo,  in  Spain,  in  which  city  the  future  con 
queror  was  bom.  In  the  great  enterprise  of  the  conquest 
of  Peru,  he  was  associated  with  one  Diego  de  Almagro,  a 
man  of  more  uncertain  origin,  and  less  favored  by  worldly 
prosperity,  even  than  himself.  This  companion  in  arms 
was,  at  all  events,  a  brave  and  gallant  soldier.  Fortunately 
for  the  two  adventurers,  they  succeeded  in  securing  the 
assistance  of  Hernando  de  Luque,  an  ecclesiastic  occupied 
in  the  duties  of  his  profession  at  Panama.  With  such 
funds  as  could  be  raised  by  these  three,  a  vessel  was  pro 
cured,  and  about  one  hundred  men  were  enlisted  to  share 
the  danger  and  profits  of  the  expedition.  Pedrarias,  the 
Spanish  governor,  sanctioned  the  proceeding,  stipulating, 
at  the  same  time,  for  a  proportion  of  the  gold  that  should 
be  brought  home. 

In  November,  1524,  Pizarro  set  sail,  leaving  Almagro 
to  prepare  another  vessel  which  they  had  purchased,  and 
to  follow  as  soon  as  possible.  Nothing  but  disaster  marked 
this  first  voyage.  Storms  at  sea  ;  conflicts  with  natives  on 
shore  ;  sickness,  exposure,  and  starvation,  thinned  the 
numbers  and  broke  down  the  spirit  of  the  party.  Pizarro 


SOUTH   AMERICAN    INDIANS.  598 

alone  appears  to  have  maintained  an  unskaken  fortitude 
and  determination. 

No  provisions  could  be  procured  at  the  spots  where  the 
voyagers  landed,  and  it  became  necessary  to  send  the  ves 
sel  back  for  supplies.  About  half  the  company,  under  one 
Montenegro,  was  despatched  for  this  purpose,  leaving  the 
rest  of  the  adventurers  upon  the  swampy,  unwholesome 
coast,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Biru,  to  support  them 
selves  as  best  they  could  amid  an  almost  impenetrable 
wilderness  of  rank  tropical  vegetation.  Nearly  half  their 
number  perished  before  any  relief  was  obtained.  When 
at  the  extremity  of  distress,  the  sight  of  a  distant  light 
amid  the  forest  awakened  their  hopes,  and  Pizarro,  with 
a  small  scouting  party,  led  by  this  token  of  human  habi 
tation,  penetrated  the  thicket  to  an  Indian  village.  His 
hungry  followers  seized  on  whatever  offered.  As  the  na 
tives,  who  had  at  first  fled  in  terror,  gradually  approached 
and  held  communication  with  them,  their  hopes  were  again 
revived  by  the  sight  of  rude  ornaments  in  gold,  and  by  the 
confirmation  of  the  reports  concerning  a  rich  empire  at  the 
south. 

It  was  six  weeks  from  the  time  of  his  departure  before 
Montenegro  returned  to  rescue  his  remaining  companions. 
With  renewed  hope  and  zeal,  the  party  reembarked,  and 
continued  to  coast  along  the  shore.  After  landing  at  other 
places,  and  experiencing  severe  encounters  with  the  war 
like  natives,  it  was  found  necessary  to  return  to  Panama 
to  refit. 

Almagro,  in  the  mean  time,  had  followed  in  the  same 
course,  with  the  second  vessel,  and  landed  at  most  of  the 
places  visited  by  Pizarro.  He  was  more  successful  in  his 
engagements  with  the  natives  than  the  first  party  had 
proved;  and  succeeded  in  extending  his  voyage  as  far 
south  as  the  river  of  San  Juan.  At  this  place  unmistaka 
ble  tokens  of  approach  to  a  well-cultivated  and  inhab- 


594  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

ited  country  presented  themselves.  Finding  no  further 
traces  of  Pizarro  and  his  companions,  and  supposing  that 
they  must  have  perished  or  have  been  compelled  to  return, 
Almagro  now  turned  his  course  towards  Panama.  He 
brought  home  more  gold  and  more  favorable  reports  than 
his  partner  ;  but  the  disasters,  losses,  and  miserable  con 
dition  of  the  first  voyagers  tended  to  throw  almost  insur 
mountable  obstacles  in  the  way  of  a  second  attempt. 

The  three  confederates  —  Pizarro,  Almagro,  and  Father 
Luque  —  continued  as  sanguine  as  ever.  The  necessary 
funds  were  obtained  by  the  latter,  as  is  said,  of  one  Gas- 
par  de  Espinosa,  in  whose  name  he  acted,  and  in  whose 
behalf  he  stipulated  for  one-third  of  all  returns  which 
should  result  from  a  successful  completion  of  the  immense 
undertaking.  A  solemn  contract  was  entered  into  between 
the  parties,  strengthened  by  all  the  ceremonials  of  oaths 
and  religious  services.  Neither  of  the  two  soldiers  could 
write,  and  their  signatures  were  executed  in  their  presence, 
by  the  witnesses  to  the  instrument  of  contract. 

Pedrarias  had  been  succeeded  by  Don  Pedro  de  los  Rios, 
and  the  new  governor  assented  to  the  second  expedition. 
This  was  undertaken  Avith  two  vessels,  carrying  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  men  and  a  few  horses.  The  services 
of  Bartholomew  Ruiz,  a  skilful  pilot,  were  secured.  The 
adventurers  steered  direct  for  the  mouth  of  the  San  Juan, 
and,  landing  at  an  Indian  village  on  the  river,  obtained 
some  plunder  in  gold,  and  seized  upon  the  persons  of  a 
few  of  the  natives.  The  country  appeared  too  populous 
to  offer  much  chance  of  success  to  such  a  small  band  of 
invaders.  Almagro  was  therefore  sent  back  to  enlist  more 
men  at  home,  while  Ruiz,  with  the  other  vessel,  explored 
the  coast  further  to  the  south,  and  Pizarro  remained  near 
the  river,  with  a  portion  of  the  crew.  The  latter  endured 
much  from  famine,  exposure,  and  fatigue,  during  the  ab 
sence  of  Ruiz.  Attempting  to  penetrate  into  the  interior, 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  597 

in  hopes  of  finding  a  more  open  country,  they  were  com 
pletely  worn  down  and  dispirited. 

The  pilot,  in  the  mean  time,  had  made  his  way  far  south 
ward.  He  had  crossed  the  equator,  and  touched  at  several 
places,  where  the  dense  population  and  well-built  dwell 
ings  gave  proofs  of  no  little  advancement  in  civilization. 
He  brought  with  him  several  Indian  prisoners,  taken  at 
sea,  upon  one  of  the  rude  boats,  or  rather  rafts,  called 
"  balsas,"  in  which  they  were  voyaging.  Some  of  these 
were  from  the  port  of  Tumbez,  and  their  marvellous  ac 
counts  of  the  quantities  of  gold  and  silver  used  by  their 
monarch,  roused  anew  the  cupidity  of  the  Spaniards. 

Almagro  soon  after  arrived  with  numerous  fresh  re 
cruits,  and,  what  with  the  glowing  reports  of  Ruiz,  and 
this  addition  to  their  force,  the  weakened  and  despairing 
followers  of  Pizarro  regained  their  former  hopes  and  cour 
age.  The  whole  company  again  set  sail  for  the  land  of 
promise.  At  Tacames,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Santiago, 
where  the  present  town  of  Esmeraldas  is  situated,  the 
flourishing  appearance  of  the  country  invited  the  voyagers 
to  land ;  but  they  were  opposed  by  thousands  of  armed 
natives,  who  attacked  them  with  great  fury.  It  was  sup 
posed  that  all  the  Christians  must  have  perished  in  this 
onslaught,  but  for  a  strange  mistake  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians.  A  few  of  the  Spaniards  were  mounted  upon 
horses  —  a  sight  never  before  witnessed  in  Peru — and  one 
of  the  cavaliers  happening  to  fall  from  his  horse,  the  In 
dians  supposed  that  a  single  enemy  had  become  two.  The 
horse  and  his  rider  were  taken  for  but  one  animal,  and  the 
confusion  and  amazement  caused  by  the  sight  of  such  a 
prodigious  separation,  gave  the  Spaniards  an  opportunity 
to  retreat. 

It  was  plain  that  a  greater  force  was  necessary  to  make 
any  advantageous  progress  in  the  new  empire,  and  again 
was  one  of  the  little  vessels  sent  back  to  Panama  for  ree'n- 


598  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

forcements,  while  Pizarro  and  a  portion  of  his  forces  took 
up  their  quarters  upon  the  little  island  of  Gallo.  They 
suffered  every  extremity  before  supplies  reached  them  from 
the  north,  and  when  two  vessels  loaded  with  stores  made 
their  appearance,  there  was  a  general  cry  for  return. 

Pizarro,  fortified  in  his  determination  by  encouraging 
letters  from  his  allies,  harangued  his  followers,  and  gave 
them  their  free  choice  whether  to  go  forward  in  search  of 
fame  and  wealth,  or  to  return  in  poverty  and  disgrace  to 
Panama.  Thirteen  only  had  the  resolution  to  proffer  their 
further  services.  The  commander  of  flie  store-ships,  who 
was  instructed  by  the  governor  to  bring  back  the  party, 
refused  to  leave  either  of  his  vessels  for  the  use  of  these 
few  valorous  spirits,  and,  grudgingly  bestowing  upon  them 
a  portion  of  his  provisions,  set  sail,  leaving  them,  as  was 
supposed,  to  certain  destruction. 

Upon  this  island,  and  upon  that  of  Gorgona,  twenty -five 
leagues  to  the  northward,  (whither  they  migrated  on  a  raft, 
for  better  quarters,  the  little  party  spent  seven  miserable 
and  solitary  months.  By  great  exertions,  Almagro  and 
Luque  procured  another  vessel,  and  the  governor's  per 
mission  to  relieve  their  associates  ;  but  this  was  not  ob 
tained  without  a  positive  injunction  to  Pizarro  to  return 
within  six  months.  No  recruits  were  taken  on  board,  be 
yond  the  necessary  crew  of  the  vessel.  Ruiz  had  charge 
of  the  craft,  and  the  sight  of  his  approach  soon  gladdened 
the  desponding  hearts  of  the  destitute  and  half-famished 
expectants  at  Gorgona. 

Without  hesitation  the  little  band  stood  once  more  for 
the  south,  leaving  two  of  their  number  ill  on  the  island, 
in  charge  of  some  of  the  friendly  natives,  who  were  still 
detained  in  their  company.  After  twenty  days'  sail,  in 
which  they  passed,  without  landing,  the  spots  of  former 
exploration,  the  vessel  entered  the  unknown  gulf  of 
Guayaquil. 


SOUTH    AMERICAN    INDIANS.  599 

As  the  Spaniards  directed  their  course  towards  the  city 
of  Tumbez,  the  residence  of  the  Indian  captives,  they  en 
countered  many  natives,  in  the  balsas  which  served  them 
for  boats.  These  strange  craft  were  made  of  logs  of  light 
wood,  secured  together,  and  fitted  with  masts  and  sails. 
The  crews  of  these  rafts,  in  the  midst  of  their  amazement 
at  the  prodigy  before  their  eyes,  recognized  the  Indians  on 
board,  and  learning  from  them  that  the  strangers  were 
bound  merely  upon  exploration;  returned  to  satisfy  the 
curiosity  of  the  eager  crowds  gathered  upon  the  shore. 

A  peaceful  communication  was  soon  established,  and  the 
sea-wearied  Spaniards  were  refreshed  by  bountiful  supplies 
of  the  tropical  luxuries  furnished  by  the  kindly  natives. 
Llamas,  or  Peruvian  camels,  as  they  were  called,  were  now 
for  the  first  time  exhibited  and  offered  to  the  visitors.  A 
great  noble,  of  the  royal  race  of  the  Incas,  came  on  board, 
and  was  courteously  entertained  by  Pizarro,  who  pointed 
out  and  explained  the  mysteries  of  the  vessel  and  its 
accoutrements. 

The  officers  of  the  Spanish  company  were,  in  turn, 
feasted  at  the  house  of  the  curaca,  or  governor  of  the 
province,  and  were  shown  the  royal  temple  and  fortresses. 
Some  of  the  apartments  were  adorned  with  such  a  rich 
profusion  of  massive  golden  ornaments  and  plating,  that 
the  dazzled  Spaniards  now  trusted  in  the  speedy  realiza 
tion  of  their  long-deferred  hopes. 

From  Tumbez,  Pizarro  coasted  southward  as  far  as  the 
island  and  port  of  Santa,  some  distance  beyond  the  site  of 
the  present  Truxillo,  stopping  at  various  towns  and  settle 
ments  on  his  route.  The  strangers  were  every  where 
received  with  hospitality,  kindness,  and  the  most  lively 
curiosity,  and  enough  was  seen  fully  to  convince  them  of 
the  richness,  civilization,  and  prosperity  of  the  thickly 
populated  empire. 

Returning  to  Panama,  they  again  stopped  at  Tumbez  and 
34 


600  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

other  important  ports,  and  thence  brought  away  specimens 
of  the  productions  of  the  country ;  among  other  things,  a 
number  of  llamas.  At  their  own  request,  several  of  the 
Spaniards  were  left  at  Tumbez,  to  enjoy  the  luxury  and 
ease  which  seemed  to  be  offered  by  a  life  among  the  kindly 
natives.  A  young  Peruvian,  named  Felipillo,  with  one  or 
two  companions,  was  taken  on  board  the  vessel,  that  he 
might  be  instructed  in  the  Spanish  language,  and  that  his 
appearance  might  satisfy  the  incredulous,  at  home,  as  to 
the  character  of  the  inhabitants  of  Peru. 

The  troubles  of  the  enterprising  trio  to  whom  these  dis 
coveries  were  owing  were  not  yet  at  an  end.  The  derision 
and  contumely  which  had  tended  so  long  to  damp  their 
spirits,  was,  indeed,  changed  to  congratulations  and  eager 
astonishment  at  the  return  and  reports  of  Pizarro ;  but  the 
governor  frowned  upon  the  prosecution  of  the  enterprise. 
"  He  did  not  wish,"  says  Herrera,  "  to  depopulate  his  own 
district  in  order  to  people  new  countries  "  — the  gold,  silver, 
and  sheep  which  had  been  exhibited,  seemed  to  him  but 
a  paltry  return  for  the  expenditure  of  such  an  amount  of 
lives  and  money,  and  the  endurance  of  such  hardships  and 
suffering  as  were  the  fruits  of  the  first  expeditions. 

Before  continuing  the  account  of  the  steps  by  which  the 
great  work  of  conquest  was  finally  achieved,  it  will  be  well 
to  take  a  brief  view  of  the  condition  of  the  devoted  country 
at  the  period  of  its  discovery. 

The  two  great  monarchies  of  Mexico  and  Peru,  both  of 
them  in  a  state  of  semi-civilization  at  the  period  of  Span 
ish  discoveries  and  conquests,  are  closely  associated  in  our 
minds.  The  thoughts  of  one  naturally  suggest  that  of  the 
other.  "We  shall,  however,  find,  upon  an  examination  of 
history,  that  these  nations  were  widely  dissimilar :  neither, 
in  all  human  probability,  had  any  knowledge  of  the  other's 
existence,  and  no  intercourse  could  have  been  maintained 
between  them  from  a  period  of  the  most  remote  antiquity. 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  601 

"Without  going  into  a  direct  comparison  between  these 
countries,  their  respective  governments,  religion,  and  na 
tional  customs,  we  shall  enter  sufficiently  into  particulars 
in  treating  the  present  subject,  to  give  the  reader  such  a 
general  idea  of  its  details  that  he  can  himself  perceive  the 
contrasts  and  dissimilarities  above  mentioned. 


CHAPTER    II. 

MYTHOLOGICAL  TRADITIONS.  -  TOPA  1NCA   YUPANdUI,   AND  HIS  SON 
HUAYNA    CAPAC.  — THE   PERUVIAN  CAPITAL.  —  RELIGIOUS    SYSTEM. 

—  GOVERNMENT.  —  AGRARIAN   LAW.  —  LLAMAS.  —  PUBLIC   RECORDS  : 
THE    «  QUIPU."  _  AGRICULTURE.  —  MARRIAGES.  —  WARLIKE    POLICY 
OF  THE  INCAS.  — THE  GREAT  ROADS.  —  CONTENTMENT  OF  THE  NA 
TIVES. -DIVISION   OF  THE  EMPIRE. -HUASCAR  AND  ATAHUALLPA. 

—  CONTEST  FOR  SUPREMACY. 

ACCORDING  to  Peruvian  mythology,  the  whole  country 
was,  in  early  times,  as  savage  and  barbarous  as  the  neigh 
boring  nations  of  the  East.  Manco  Capac,  and  his  sister 
and  wife,  Mama  Oello  Huaco,  two  children  of  the  Sun, 
settling  in  the  valley  of  Cuzco,  began  the  work  of  regen 
eration.  They  taught  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  and  from 
them  sprang  the  long  line  'of  the  Incas  whose  glorious 
kingdom  was  at  the  height  of  its  prosperity  when  discov 
ered  by  the  Spaniards.  Other  traditions,  more  worthy  of 
study  and  reflection,  speak  of <e  bearded  white  men,"  to  whose 
immigration  the  commencement  of  improvement  was  due. 

We  gather  little  of  connected  or  reliable  tradition  earlier 
than  the  reign  of  Topa  Inca  Yupanqui.  This  monarch's 
victories  widely  extended  the  domains  bequeathed  him  by 
his  ancestors.  By  his  warlike  achievements,  and  those  of 
his  son,  Huayna  Capac,  the  Peruvian  empire  was  extended 
from  the  southern  portion  of  Chili  to  the  boundaries  of  the 


602  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

present  republic  of  New  Grenada.  The  centre  of  govern 
ment,  and  site  of  the  royal  palace,  the  great  temple  of  the  ' 
sun,  and  the  most  celebrated  fortification,  were  at  Cuzco,  in 
the  interior.  The  town  was  situated  in  a  valley  of  the 
table-land,  at  an  immense  height  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  an  altitude  which  secured  to  it  a  delightful  climate  in 
those  tropical  regions. 

The  principal  buildings  of  the  capital  were  of  hewn 
stone,  wrought  entirely  by  instruments  of  copper,  hard 
ened  by  an  alloy  of  tin ;  for,  like  the  Mexicans,  the  people 
of  Peru  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the. use  of  iron.  A  cer 
tain  perfection  of  workmanship,  seldom  attempted  in  more 
advanced  nations,  and  only  elsewhere  observable  in  the 
casings  of  the  great  Egyptian  pyramids,  is  described  as 
peculiar  to  the  laying  of  the  courses  of  stone  in  these  an 
cient  buildings.  For  the  most  part  no  cement  was  used, 
but  the  blocks  were  so  accurately  fitted  that  "  it  was  im 
possible  to  introduce  even  the  blade  of  a  knife  between 
them."  Mr.  Prescott,  giving,  as  his  authority,  the  meas 
urements  and  descriptions  of  Acosta  and  Garcilasso,  says  : 
"  Many  of  these  stones  were  of  vast  size ;  some  of  them 
being  full  thirty-eight  feet  long,  by  eighteen  broad,  and 
six  feet  thick.  '  These  enormous  masses  were  hewn 
from  their  native  bed,  and  fashioned  into  shape  by  a  peo 
ple  ignorant  of  the  use  of  iron ;  they  were  brought  from 
quarries,  from  four  to  fifteen  leagues  distant,  without  the 
aid  of  beasts  of  burden  ;  were  transported  across  rivers 
and  ravines,  raised  to  their  elevated  position  on  the  sierra, 
and  finally  adjusted  there  with  the  nicest  accuracy,  with 
out  the  knowledge  of  tools  and  machinery  familiar  to  the 
European." 

At  Cuzco  stood  the  great  temple  of  the  sun,  by  far  the 
most  resplendent  with  gold  and  ornament  of  all  the  pub 
lic  edifices  of  Peru.  The  description  of  this  central  point 
of  the  religious  system  of  the  country  vies  with  those  of 


SOUTH    AMERICAN    INDIANS.  603 

fairy  palaces  in  Arabian  tales.  It  was  built  of  stone,  but, 
by  a  strange  contrast  of  magnificence  with  rudeness,  was 
thatched  with  straw.  The  most  striking  object  in  the  in 
terior  was  a  huge  golden  sun,  represented  by  the  figure  of 
a  human  face,  surrounded  with  rays.  This  was  so  placed 
as  to  receive  the  first  beams  of  the  rising  sun.  The  whole 
building  sparkled  with  golden  ornament ;  even  upon  the 
outside  a  heavy  belt  of  gold  is  said  to  have  been  let  into 
the  stone  wall  around  the  whole  extent  of  the  edifice. 
Great  vases  of  the  precious  metals  stood  in  the  open  space 
the  interior,  filled  with  offerings  of  maize,  and  no  less 
valuable  material  was  used  for  the  various  tools  and  im 
plements  connected  with  the  establishment. 

This  profusion  of  gold  and  silver,  which,  although  in 
inferior  degree,  was  noticeable  in  the  royal  palaces  and 
temples  throughout  the  empire,  resulted  from  the  circum 
stance  that  the  mines  were  a  government  monopoly.  No 
money  was  used,  and  consequently  the  whole  product  of 
the  country,  in  this  line,  was  collected  in  the  coffers  of  the 
Inca,  or  displayed  in  the  gorgeous  ornaments  which 
adorned  the  temples.  The  mines  were  worked  by  bodies 
of  laborers  systematically  drafted  from  the  common  peo 
ple,  to  serve  for  specified  periods. 

The  Peruvians  had  some  idea  of  an  invisible  deity, 
whose  supremacy  they  acknowledged,  and  to  whom  hom 
age  was  rendered,  but  the  sun  was  their  chief  object  of 
worship.  The  moon  and  stars  took  the  place  of  subordi 
nate  divinities.  By  virtue  of  his  office,  the  Inca  was  the 
head  of  the  visible  church,  and  high-priest  of  the  sun ; 
all  the  other  religious  functionaries  were  of  the  nobility, 
viz. :  descendants  in  the  male  line  of  the  royal  family. 
One  lawful  wife  gave  birth  to  the  successor  to  the  throne, 
but  from  the  innumerable  concubines  kept  by  the  empe 
ror  sprang  the  race  of  Inca  nobility,  distinguished  by  dress 
and  occupation  from  the  body  of  the  people. 


j| 


604  INDIAN  EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

A  most  singular  resemblance  to  the  ancient  order  of  the 
vestal  virgins  existed  in  that  of  the  Peruvian  Virgins  of 
the  Sun.  These  were  set  apart,  at  an  early  age,  for  the 
services  of  the  temple,  the  preparations  of  its  tapestry  and 
ornaments,  and  especially  for  the  preservation  of  the  sa 
cred  fire.  Terrible  penalties  followed  the  violation  of 
chastity  by  either  of  these  devotees,  always  excepting  the 
privileges  of  the  Inca,  to  whom  they  were  subservient  as 
"  brides,"  or  concubines.  The  office  did  not  necessarily 
continue  during  life :  many  of  these  "  Virgins  "  were  dis 
missed  to  their  paternal  homes  from  time  to  time,  and 
were  ever  thereafter  held  in  great  honor  and  veneration? 
The  religious  ceremonies  and  festivals  familiar  to  the  na 
tion  were  singularly  numerous  and  complicated  :  an  enu 
meration  of  them  would  be,  for  the  most  part,  wearisome 
and  devoid  of  interest. 

The  Peruvian  system  of  government  merits  a  more 
particular  attention.  Here,  for  the  first  time  in  the  history 
of  the  world,  we  see  the  results  of  a  paternal  despotism 
carried  to  its  most  extravagant  extent,  yet  meeting  the 
apparent  wants  of  the  people,  and  universally  acquiesced 
in  and  approved  by  them.  From  generation  to  generation 
the  whole  mass  of  the  commonalty  was  shut  out  from 
any  possibility  of  change  or  improvement,. and  subjected  to 
immutable  rules  in  every  employment  or  privilege  of  life. 

The  whole  empire  was  minutely  divided  and  subdivided 
into  districts,  according  to  population,  and  over  -  each  of 
these  departments  a  curaca  or  governor  was  set  to  main 
tain  law.  The  penal  code  was  sufficiently  severe,  and 
rigidly  enforced ;  in  all  matters  of  private  right  there  was 
no  room  for  contention  among  the  citizens,  as  the  state 
prescribed  every  man's  place  of  residence,  the  amount  and 
nature  of  his  employment,  and  the  provision  necessary  for 
his  support. 

The  government  assumed  the  entire  ownership  of  the 


SOUTH   AMERICAN  INDIANS.  605 

soil,  which,  was  divided  into  three  parts  for  the  following 
uses  :  The  first  was  set  apart  to  support  the  whole  exten 
sive  system  of  religion ;  the  second  sustained  the  royal 
court,  and  furnished  the  "  civil  list "  for  the  accomplish 
ment  of  all  public  works,  and  to  defray  the  current  ex 
penses  of  the  empire  ;  and  the  third  was  yearly  divided 
among  the  people.  The  apportionment  was  made  to  each 
family,  according  to  its  numbers,  and,  unless  some  good 
cause  should  appear  to  the  contrary,  it  is  supposed  that  the 
same  spot  was  continued  in  the  possession  of  its  proprietor 
from  year  to  year.  The  public  domains  were  cultivated 
by  the  people  in  mass,  and,  in  the  management  of  the 
private  allotments,  vigilant  care  was  taken,  by  the  ap 
propriate  officers,  that  no  one  should  be  idle,  no  one  over 
burdened  with  labor,  and  no  one  in  a  state  of  suffering 
from  want. 

The  only  beast  of  burden  in  Peru  was  the  llama.  The 
immense  herds  of  this  animal  were,  without  exception, 
the  property  of  the  state,  and  under  the  management  of 
government  officials.  The  wool  and  hair  of  the  llama  fur 
nished  the  most  important  material  for  the  clothing  of  the 
whole  population,  but  before  it  reached  its  ultimate  desti 
nation  it  must  pass  through  the  hands  of  appointed  agents, 
and,  after  the  separation  and  preparation  of  the  portion 
devoted  to  religious  and  royal  purposes,  be  equitably  par 
celled  out  and  distributed  among  the  private  families.  The 
manufacture  of  cloth  was  more  especially  the  business  of 
women  and  children.  No  man  had  tne  power  to  choose 
his  own  employment.  A  select  number  of  artisans  were 
set  apart  and  instructed  in  such  mechanical  sciences  as 
were  known  to  the  age  and  country,  while  the  mass  of  the 
population  were  employed  in  agricultural  labors,  or,  by  a 
systematic  apportionment  among  the  different  districts,  were 
engaged  upon  the  vast  works  of  public  utility  or  magnifi 
cence  which  astonished  the  eyes  of  the  Spanish  invaders. 


606  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  most  exact  accounts  were  kept,  by  certain  appointed 
officers,  of  the  entire  population  and  resources  of  the  em 
pire.  No  birth,  marriage,  or  death,  was  suffered  to  pass 
unchronicled,  and  an  immense  amount  of  statistical  matter, 
relative  to  the  condition  of  the  people,  the  productions  of 
the  soil,  the  extent  of  manufactures,  &c.,  was  regularly  and 
systematically  returned  to  the  proper  department.  The 
substitute  for  writing,  by  which  these  results,  and  even 
much  more  abstract  particulars  (as  of  dates  and  historical 
events)  were  perpetuated,  was  exceedingly  ingenious  and 
unique.  It  consisted  of  the  "  quipu,"  viz.  :  a  cord  of  strands 
varying  in  color,  from  which  depended  numerous  short 
threads  at  regular  distances.  A  series  of  knots  in  these 
appendages  (which  were,  like  the  strands  of  the  main  cord, 
of  various  colors)  served  to  express  any  amount  in  num 
bers,  and  the  difference  in  hue  designated  the  subject  to 
which  they  were  applied.  The  endless  combinations  which 
could  be  effected  in  this  system  of  knots  might,  as  we  can 
readily  perceive,  be  extended  to  the  expression  of  a  very 
wide  range  of  ideas.  In  the  words  of  Mr.  Prescott  :  "  The 
peculiar  knot,  or  color,  in  this  way  (by  association)  sug 
gested  what  it  could  not  venture  to  represent ;  in  the  same 
manner  —  to  borrow  the  homely  illustration  of  an  old 
writer  —  as  the  number,  of  the  Commandment  calls  to 
mind  the  Commandment  itself.  *  *  *  The  narrative 
thus  concocted  could  be  communicated  only  by  oral  tradi 
tion  ;  but  the  quipus  served  the  chronicler  to  arrange  the 
incidents  with  method,  and  to  refresh  his  memory." 

In  some  of  the  sciences,  particularly  in  astronomy,  the 
Peruvians  were  far  behind  the  Aztecs.  A  few  simple  ob 
servations  of  the  movements  of  the  planets  ',  and  the  meas 
urement  of  shadows  to  mark  the  solstices,  equinoxes,  &c., 
formed  the  limit  of  their  speculations  or  experiments.  In 
the  more  practical  and  necessary  arts  of  husbandry  and 
agriculture,  not  even  the  laborious  and  patient  population 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  607 

of  China  could  excel  the  subjects  of  the  Incas.  The  ex 
tent  of  the  aqueducts,  to  conduct  the  mountain-streams 
through  the  arid  fields  where  rain  never  fell ;  the  immense 
excavations  made  to  reach  a  moist  soil,  fifteen  or  twenty 
feet  below  the  surface ;  and  other  mighty  undertakings 
which  individual  enterprise  could  never  have  accomplished, 
evince  the  effects  that  a  complete  centralization  of  power 
can  produce.  Were  it  not  for  the  ruins,  of  which  modern 
travellers  give  us  measurement  and  description,  we  should 
be  tempted  to  throw  aside  the  early  histories  of  Peruvian 
achievements  as  gross  exaggerations.  The  use  of  guano 
for  manure  was  common,  and  the  gathering  and  application 
of  it  were  in  accordance  with  rigid  and  careful  regulations. 
The  destruction,  or  even  the  disturbance  of  the  6irds  to 
whom  the  formation  is  owing,  was  punished  by  death.  A 
plough  was  used  in  the  cultivation  of  the  land,  but  it 
was  rudely  and  simply  constructed  of  wood,  and  was 
forced  through  the  earth  by  human  thews  and  sinews. 
The  unequalled  diversity  in  soil  and  climate  provided  suit 
able  localities  for  a  variety  in  vegetable  productions  seldom 
seen  within  the  same  limits.  Bananas,  Indian  corn,  pota 
toes,  a  grain  called  quinoa,  and  many  other  well-known 
crops,  were  successfully  cultivated.  *  The  desire  for  stimu 
lants  and  narcotics,  so  universal  to  mankind,  was  satisfied 
by  a  liquor  brewed  from  maize,  by  tobacco,  and  by  the 
coca  or  cuca,  whose  leaves  possess  something  of  the  seda 
tive  qualities  of  the  latter  plant. 

We  have  mentioned  the  control  exercised  by  the  gov^ 
ernment  over  the  private  affairs  of  every  citizen;  this 
extended  even  to  the  ties  of  affinity.  Every  person  was 
required  to  marry  at  an  appointed  age,  (eighteen  in  females, 
and  twenty-four  in  males,)  and,  although  a  certain  degree 
of  choice  was  left  to  the  individual  in  the  selection  of  a 
partner,  it  must  be  confined  within  a  specified  district  or 
community.  The  Inca  always  married  his  sister,  that  the 


608  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

purity  of  the  royal  blood  might  not  be  contaminated,  but 
such  a  connection  was  forbidden  between  any  of  lower  rank. 

Although  the  mass  of  the  people  were  constantly  em 
ployed  in  the  operations  of  peaceful  husbandry,  the  policy 
of  the  Inca  dynasty  towards  neighboring  nations  was  essen 
tially  warlike.  The  youth  of  the  nobility,  and  especially 
the  presumptive  heir  to  the  throne,  were  instructed  in  the 
arts  of  war,  and  subjected  to  a  routine  of  bodily  exercise 
and  trials  of  fortitude  not  unlike  that  practised  by  the 
ruder  nations  of  North  America,  in  the  initiation  of  their 
future  warriors. 

An  extensive  militia  system  was  enforced,  and,  in  time 
of  war,  troops  were  drafted  from  the  different  districts  in 
some  proportion  to  the  population ;  regard  being  had  to 
the  hardihood  and  energy  of  the  various  races,  in  making 
the  levy.  Axes,  lances,  darts,  bows  and  arrows,  and  slings, 
formed  the  principal  weapons  of  offence.  The  soldiers 
were  also  supplied  with  the  quilted  coats  of  such  common 
use  in  past  ages,  to  ward  off  arrows  and  sword-thrust,  and 
with  helmets  of  skins  or  wood. 

The  great  roads,  led  along  the  mountain  ridges,  or  by 
the  level  plain  of  the  sea-coast,  furnished  ready  means  of 
transit  to  the  royal  armies  throughout  the  extent  of  the 
empire.  Enough  of  these  yet  remains  to  excite  the  ad 
miration  of  every  traveller.  Of  the  principal  jrf  these 
roads,  Mr.  Prescott  speaks  as  follows  :  "  It  was  conducted 
over  pathless  sierras  buried  in  snow;  galleries  were  cut 
for  leagues  through  the  living  rock ;  rivers  were  crossed 
by  means  of  bridges  that  hung  suspended  in  the  air ;  pre 
cipices  were  scaled  by  stairways  hewn  out  of  the  native 
bed  ;  ravines  of  hideous  depth  were  filled  up  with  solid 
masonry ;  in  short,  all  the  difficulties  that  beset  a  wild  and 
mountainous  region,  and  which  might  appall  the  most 
courageous  engineer  of  modern  times,  were  encountered 
and  successfully  overcome.  The  length  of  the  road,  of 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  609 

which  scattered  fragments  only  remain,  is  variously  esti 
mated  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  miles."  No 
celebrated  conqueror  of  the  old  world  ever  pursued  such 
perfect  system  and  method  in  the  conduct  of  a  campaign 
as  did  the  Incas.  Stations  for  couriers  were  built  at  regu 
lar  intervals  throughout  the  main  routes,  by  means  of  which 
messages  or  light  burdens  could  be  conveyed  with  incred 
ible  celerity  to  any  required  distance.  Granaries  and  store 
houses  filled  with  supplies  for  the  army  stood,  under  care 
of  appointed  officers,  at  convenient  intervals,  and  all  these 
provisions  and  supplies  being  furnished  from  the  state 
funds,  no  man  felt  them  as  ^n  extraordinary  burden. 

A  strange  but  sagacious  policy  was  observed  towards  a 
conquered  nation.  The  Peruvian  worship  of  the  sun  was 
immediately  introduced ;  all  the  laws  of  the  empire  were 
enforced,  and  its  customs  established ;  but,  that  the  yoke 
might  not  be  too  galling,  the  privileges  as  well  as  the 
duties  of  a  subject  were  extended  to  the  conquered  people. 
The  former  nobles  and  governors  were  not  uncommonly 
continued  in  office,  and  a  paternal  care  was  taken  of  the 
necessities  and  interests  of  the  whole  populace.  With  all 
this,  no  steps  were  omitted  which  would  tend  to  completely 
denationalize  the  newly-acquired  country.  Large  colonies 
of  Peruvians  were  transplanted  from  their  own  country  to 
the  new,  and  their  places  supplied  by  an  equal  number  of 
those  whose  habitations  they  occupied.  The  language  of 
the  conquerors  was  every  where  introduced,  and  its  use 
encouraged  until,  with  the  lapse  of  years,  a  complete  as 
similation  was  brought  about. 

All  this  complete  course  of  despotism  was  said  by  the 
Spanish  historians,  who  wrote  from  observation,  and  be 
fore  the  old  order  of  things  was  entirely  overturned,  to  be 
precisely  that  which  was  best  adapted  to  the  Peruvian 
race,  and  to  the  country  and  climate  which  they  inhabited. 
The  people  were  contented  with  their  lot,  and  looked  upon 


610  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

their  priests  and  rulers  with  the  utmost  reverence.  "  No 
man  could  be  rich/'  says  Prescott,  "  no  man  could  be  poor, 
in  Peru  ;  but  all  might  enjoy,  and  did  enjoy,  a  competence. 
Ambition,  avarice,  the  love  of  change,  the  morbid  spirit  of 
discontent,  those  passions  which  most  agitate  the  minds  of 
men,  found  no  place  in  the  bosom  of  the  Peruvian.  *  * 
He  moved  on  in  the  same  unbroken  circle  in  which  his 
fathers  had  moved  before  him,  and  in  which  his  children 
were  to  follow." 

We  cannot  help  a  feeling  of  natural  regret  that  the  ruth 
less  invasion  of  the  Spaniards  should  have  uprooted  all 
these  ancient  and  venerated  "customs.  There  was  not,  as 
with  the  Aztecs,  a  bloody  system  of  religion,  whose  annihi 
lation  could  reconcile  us  to  almost  any  violence  on  the  part 
of  those  who  came  to  overturn  it.  There  were,  indeed, 
occasional  scenes  of  human  sacrifice  at  the  great  religious 
solemnities  ;  but  these  were  the  exception,  not  the  rule. 
The  people  at  large  lived  on  in  peace  and  quietness,  con 
tented  with  the  government  and  institutions  under  whose 
influence  they  lived,  and  by  whose  care  they  were  secured 
in  the  possession  of  the  competencies  of  life. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  successes  and  conquests 
of  Tupac  Yupanqui,  and  his  son  Huayna  Capac.  The 
latter  prince,  having  reduced  the  kingdom  of  Quito,  the 
modern  Equador,  took  up  his  residence  at  its  capital,  and 
devoted  his  attention  to  beautifying  his  acquisition,  and 
establishing  the  Peruvian  policy  upon  a  firm  basis  through 
out  its  limits. 

The  first  expeditions  of  the  Spaniards  to  the  Peruvian 
coast,  took  place  during  the  latter  years  of  this  monarch, 
and  the  accounts  are  said  to  have  filled  his  mind  with 
gloomy  forebodings  of  the  overthrow  of  his  empire.  His 
sagacious  perception  readily  recognized  the  vast  superi 
ority  over  his  own  nation,  evident  in  the  vessels,  arms, 
intelligence,  and  enterprise  of  the  strangers.  Huayna 


SOUTH    AMEKICAN   INDIANS.  611 

Capac  died  about  the  year  1525,  leaving  his  only  legitimate 
son,  Huascar,  the  regular  successor  to  his  throne.  Instead 
of  confirming  the  old  order  of  descent,  the  king's  fondness 
for  another  son,  named  Atahuallpa,  (Atabalipa,  as  spelt  by 
many  old  writers)  led  him,  upon  his  death-bed,  to  bestow 
upon  his  favorite  a  portion  of  his  kingdom.  Upon  the  sub 
version  of  the  ancient  dynasty  at  Quito,  Huayna  Capac  had 
taken  the  daughter  of  the  last  native  prince  as  one  of  his 
concubines.  From  this  union  sprung  the  prince  of  whom 
we  are  speaking.  The  share  of  empire  bequeathed  to 
Atahuallpa  was  that  of  his  maternal  ancestors,  in  which 
his  father  had  so  long  resided,  and  to  whose  improvement 
he  had  devoted  his  declining  years.  The  rest  of  the  wide 
domains  of  Peru  were  left  in  possession  of  Huascar. 

This  new  order  of  things  produced  no  evil  effects  for 
about  five  years.  Huascar  maintained  his  court  at  the 
old  capital,  Cuzco,  while  Atahuallpa  remained  at  Quito ; 
neither  interfering  with  the  other's  rights  of  jurisdiction. 
Their  respective  subjects  readily  acquiesced  in  the  new 


arrangement. 


Different  accounts  are  given  of  the  first  causes  of  rup 
ture  between  the  brothers  ;  but  whatever  occasioned  it, 
the  contest  which  ensued  was  bloody  and  disastrous  in  the 
extreme.  But  for  the  disturbed  and  distracted  state  of  the 
empire  consequent  upon  this  civil  war,  it  would  have  been 
utterly  impossible  for  the  Spaniards,  with  the  insignificant 
force  which  they  finally  brought  into  the  field,  to  have 
overcome  and  subverted  such  an  immense  and  powerful 
empire. 

The  first  important  engagement  between  the  armies  of 
the  contending  princes  took  place  at  Hambata,  about 
sixty  leagues  south  from  Quito.  In  this  battle,  Huascar's 
forces  were  utterly  defeated,  and  his  victorious  brother 
pressed  onward  to  Tumebamba,  no  great  distance  from 
Tumbez.  This  city  belonged  to  Atahuallpa's  kingdom, 


612  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

but  the  inhabitants  had  taken  up  arms  in  favor  of  Huas- 
car.  In  vain  did  they  sue  for  mercy  from  the  conqueror : 
the  whole  district  was  ravaged,  and  all  male  adults  were 
put  to  death.  Proceeding  on  his  march,  Atahuallpa 
reached  Caxamalca,  where  he  took  up  his  quarters,  and 
sent  forward  the  chief  portion  of  his  army  to  meet  the 
forces  prepared  for  the  protection  of  the  ancient  capital 
of  Peru. 

A  bloody  and  desperate  battle  was  fought  near  the  city, 
in  which  the  invader  was  again  completely  victorious. 
Huascar  was  taken  prisoner,  and  placed  in  close  confine 
ment,  but  his  brother  had  enough  of  natural  humanity  to 
order  that  all  respect  should  be  shown  him  in  his  fallen 
fortunes.  If  we  are  to  believe  some  accounts,  Atahuallpa 
sullied  the  fame  which  his  successes  might  have  acquired 
him,  by  acts  of  the  most  unheard-of  barbarity.  It  is  said 
that  he  put  to  death,  and  that  too  by  lingering  tortures,  all 
of  the  royal  family  upon  whom  he  could  lay  his  hands, 
including  the  female  branches  of  the  family,  that  he  might 
cut  off  all  possibility  of  a  rival  appearing  to  contest  his 
right  to  the  throne.  Modern  historians  have  pointed  out 
so  many  discrepancies  and  improbabilities  in  the  details 
of  this  transaction,  that  they  must  be  now  considered  as 
grossly  exaggerated,  if  not  utterly  false. 

Atahuallpa,  now  claiming  the  title  of  Inca,  and  rejoicing 
in  the  possession  of  the  whole  of  the  immense  empire  of 
his  father,  held  his  court  at  Caxamalca.  In  the  midst  of 
his  exultation  and  triumph,  news  was  brought  of  a  fresh 
arrival  of  Spanish  ships  upon  the  coast. 


SOUTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS.  613 


CHAPTER    III. 

PIZARRO'S  VISIT  TO  SPAIN  AND  APPLICATION  TO  THE  EMPEROR.— HIS 
FOUR  BROTHERS.  — FUNDS  PROCURED  FOR  A  NEW  EXPEDITION  TO 
PERU.  —  VESSELS  AGAIN  FITTED  OUT  AT  PANAMA.  —  LANDING  OF 
THE  SPANIARDS  UPON  THE  PERUVIAN  COAST.  —  PLUNDER  AT  COA- 
QUE.  —  THE  MARCH  TOWARDS  TUMBEZ.  —  BATTLES  ON  THE  ISLE 
OF  PUNA.— TUMBEZ  DESERTED.  —  SETTLEMENT  OF  SAN  MIGUEL.— 
MARCH  INTO  THE  INTERIOR.— PASSAGE  OF  THE  ANDES.— MESSAGES 
FROM  ATAHUALLPA.— ENTRY  INTO  CAXAMALCA. 

As  Pizarro,  Almagro,  and  Luque,  received  no  encour 
agement  from  the  governor,  at  Panama,  in  the  prosecution 
of  their  plans ;  and  as  their  funds  were  exhausted  by  the 
first  expeditions,  it  became  necessary  to  seek  the  assistance 
of  some  powerful  patron,  or  to  abandon  the  enterprise.  In 
this  emergency,  Luque  advised  an  immediate  application 
to  the  Spanish  court.  In  the  discussion  of  the  question  as 
to  who  should  undertake  this  duty,  Almagro  strongly 
urged  the  expediency  of  trusting  the  whole  matter  to  the 
prudence  and  soldierly  intrepidity  of  his  unlettered  com 
panion-in-arms,  Pizarro.  He  was  the  man  who  had  seen 
and  experienced  more  than  any  other  of  the  nature  of  the 
land  of  promise,  and  his  unflinching  determination  and 
perseverance  seemed  to  qualify  him  as  well  to  press  his 
suit  at  court,  as  to  undergo  the  disappointments  and  phys 
ical  hardships  of  the  conquest  itself. 

Pizarro  consented  to  the  proposal,  and  sailed  for  Spain, 
where  he  arrived  early  in  the  summer  of  1528,  carrying 
with  him  specimens  of  Peruvian  art  and  wealth,  together 
with  natives  of  the  country,  and  several  of  the  beasts  of 
burden  peculiar  to  Peru.  He  was  favorably  received,  and 
his  accounts  were  credited  by  the  Emperor  Charles  the 
Fifth  ;  and  the  royal  consent  was  obtained  to  the  prosecu 
tion  of  the  mighty  undertaking  of  conquest.  No*  pecu- 


614  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

niary  assistance,  however,  was  rendered  or  promised.  Pro 
spective  honors  and  emoluments  were  bestowed  upon 
Pizarro  and  his  two  associates,  contingent  upon  their  suc 
cess,  and  the  latter  to  be  drawn  entirely  from  the  conquered 
nation.  Pizarro  was  to  be  governor,  adelantado  and  al- 
guacil  mayor  of  Peru,  which  office  he  was  to  fill  for  life, 
and  to  which  a  large  salary  was  to  be  attached.  Almagro 
was  placed  in  altogether  an  inferior  position,  as  commander 
at  Tumbez  ;  and  Father  Luque  was  declared  bishop  of  that 
district,  now  to  be  converted  into  a  see  of  the  church. 
One-fifth  of  the  gold  and  silver  to  be  obtained  by  plunder, 
and  one-tenth  of  all  gained  by  mining  was  reserved  as  a 
royal  perquisite. 

Pizarro  immediately  set  himself  to  raise  funds  and  enlist 
men  for  the  proposed  conquest.  He  was  joined  by  his 
four  brothers,  one  of  whom,  Hernando  Pizarro,  was  a  le 
gitimate  son  of  Gonzalo.  The  other  three,  Gonzalo  and 
Juan  Pizarro,  and  Francisco  de  Alcontara  were  illegitimate 
children,  and  connected  with  the  hero  of  our  narrative, 
the  two  first  on  the  father's  side,  the  latter  on  that  of  the 
mother. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  provide  money  for  the  ne 
cessary  expenses  of  so  hazardous  an  exploit  as  that  pro 
posed  ;  but  fortunately  for  Pizarro,  Hernando  Cortez,  the 
renowned  conqueror  of  Mexico,  was  at  this  time  in  Spain, 
and,  after  seeing  and  conferring  with  him,  furnished,  from 
his  own  ample  stores,  what  was  needed  to  complete  an 
outfit. 

Upon  Pizarro's  return  to  America,  serious  quarrels  en 
sued  between  him  and  Almagro,  who,  as  appears  justly, 
thought  himself  grossly  neglected  in  the  arrangements 
entered  into  with  the  Spanish  government.  Luque  also 
distrusted  the  good  faith  of  his  emissary,  and  it  seemed 
too  evident  to  both  of  these  parties  to  the  old  contract, 
that  Pizarro  would  readily  throw  them  aside,  should  occa- 


SOUTH   AMERICAN  INDIANS  615 

sion  offer,  and  advance  his  own  relations  in  their  stead. 
These  difficulties  were,  by  Pizarro's  representations,  prom 
ises,  and  concessions,  for  the  time  smoothed  over,  and 
three  vessels  were  fitted  out  at  Panama  for  the  grand  ex 
pedition.  Those  in  which  the  recruits  had  been  brought 
over  from  Spain,  were  necessarily  left  upon  the  other  side 
of  the  Isthmus. 

It  was  not  until  January,  of  1531,  that  the  adventurers 
set  sail.  The  company  consisted  of  less  than  two  hundred 
men,  twenty-seven  of  whom  were  provided  with  horses ; 
the  advantage  of  even  a  small  body  of  cavalry  in  fights 
with  the  Indians  having  been  so  strikingly  apparent  in  the 
proceedings  at  Mexico.  Tumbez,  on  the  southern  shore 
of  the  gulf  of  Guayaquil,  was  the  port  for  which  the  little 
fleet  steered  its  course,  but,  owing  to  head  winds  and  other 
difficulties  in  navigation,  a  landing  was  made  at  the  bay 
of  St.  Matthew's.  Pizarro,  with  the  armed  force,  went  on 
shore  at  this  place,  not  far  from  where  Esmeraldas  now 
stands,  and  marched  southward,  while  the  vessels  coasted 
along  the  shore.  Feeling  himself  strong  enough  to  com 
mence  serious  operations,  the  unprincipled  invader  no 
longer  put  oil  the  cloak  of  friendship,  but  without  warning 
fell  upon  the  first  Indian  town  in  his  route.  This  was  in 
the  district  of  Coaque.  The  natives  fled,  leaving  their 
treasures  to  be  seized  and  plundered  by  the  Spaniards. 
A  considerable  quantity  of  gold,  and  a  great  number  of 
the  largest  and  most  valuable  emeralds  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  rapacious  adventurers.  The  spoil  was  collected, 
and  publicly  distributed,  according  to  regulated  portions, 
among  the  company,  it  being  death  to  secrete  any  private 
plunder.  The  royal  fifth  was  deducted  previous  to  the 
division. 

The  vessels  were  sent  back  to  Panama  to  excite,  by  the 
display   of  these   treasures,   the  cupidity  of  new  recruits, 
while  the  little  army  continued  its  march  towards  Tumbez. 
36 


616  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  natives  of  the  villages  through  which  they  passed, 
learning,  in  advance  of  the  Spaniards'  approach,  the  course 
pursued  at  Coaque,  abandoned  their  homes,  bearing  all 
their  valuables  with  them.  Privation  and  suffering  en 
sued.  The  tropical  heat  of  the  country,  famine  and  fa 
tigue,  began  to  dishearten  the  troops.  Worse  than  all,  a 
singular  and  malignant  cutaneous  disease  began  to  spread 
among  them.  Large  warts  or  vascular  excrescences  broke 
out  upon  those  attacked,  which,  if  opened,  bled  so  pro 
fusely  as  to  cause  death.  "  The  epidemic,"  says  Prescott, 
"  which  made  its  first  appearance  during  this  invasion,  and 
which  did  not  long  survive  it,  spread  over  the  whole  coun 
try,  sparing  neither  native  nor  white  man." 

The  distresses  of  the  Spaniards  were  somewhat  relieved 
by  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  from  Panama,  in  which  came  a 
number  of  new  state  officers,  appointed  by  the  Emperor 
Charles  since  Pizarro's  departure  from  Spain,  bringing 
with  them  a  quantity  of  provision.  With  some  slight  fur 
ther  reinforcement,  the  commander  brought  his  troops 
to  the  gulf  of  Guayaquil,  and,  by  invitation  from  the  isl 
anders,  who  had  never  been  reduced  by  the  Peruvian 
monarchs,  and  still  maintained  a  desultory  warfare  with 
their  forces,  he  took  up  his  quarters  upon  the  isle  of  Puna. 
The  inhabitants  of  Tumbez,  (lying,  as  we  have  mentioned, 
upon  the  southern  shore  of  the  gulf,  and  opposite  the 
island,)  came  over,  in  large  numbers,  to  welcome  the 
whites,  trusting  to  their  friendly  demonstrations  at  the 
time  of  the  early  expeditions.  Difficulties  soon  arose  from 
the  bringing  of  these  hostile  Indian  races  in  contact.  Pi- 
zarro  was  told  that  a  conspiracy  had  been  formed  by 
some  of  the  island  chiefs,  to  massacre  him  and  his  follow 
ers.  Without  delay,  he  seized  upon  the  accused,  and 
delivered  them  over  to  their  old  enemies  of  Tumbez  for 
destruction.  The  consequence  was  a  furious  attack  by  the 
islanders.  The  thousands  of  dusky  warriors  who  sur- 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  617 

rounded  the  little  encampment,  were  dispersed  and  driven 
into  the  thickets,  with  very  small  loss  to  the  well-armed 
and  mail-clad  Europeans.  The  discharge  of  musketry, 
and  the  rwsh  of  mounted  men,  glistening  with  defensive 
armor,  seldom  failed  to  break  the  lines,  and  confuse  the 
movements  even  of  the  bravest  and  most  determined 
savages. 

After  their  victory  Pizarro  found  his  situation  extremely 
precarious,  for  the  enemies  whom  he  had  driven  into  the 
forest  continued  to  harass  and  weary  his  army  by  night 
attacks,  and  the  difficulty  of  procuring  provisions  daily 
increased.  He  became  desirous  of  passing  over  to  the 
main  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  his  good  fortune  sent  him, 
at  this  period,  such  assistance  as  rendered  the  continuance 
of  his  enterprise  more  hopeful.  This  was  afforded  by  the 
arrival  of  the  celebrated  Hernando  de  Soto,  whose  roman 
tic  adventures  in  after-life,  have  been  briefly  chronicled  in 
the  early  part  of  this  volume,  under  the  title  of  the  Flor 
ida  Indians.  De  Soto  brought  out  one  hundred  men  and 
a  considerable  number  of  horses.  Thus  reenforced,  the 
commander  of  the  expedition  at  once  undertook  the  trans 
portation  of  his  men  and  stores  across  to  Tumbez. 

Instead  of  rejoicing  their  eyes  with  the  splendor  of  this 
celebrated  city,  and  luxuriating  in  its  wealth,  the  Span 
iards  found  the  whole  place  dilapidated  and  deserted. 
Such  of  the  Indians  as  appeared,  manifested  a  decidedly 
hostile  disposition,  and  several  of  the  party  engaged  in 
transporting  the  baggage  and  provisions,  upon  balsas  or 
rafts,  were  seized  and  slain.  Most  of  the  houses  of  the 
city  were  found  to  be  destroyed,  and  the  costly  ornaments 
and  decorations  were  all  stripped  from  the  temple.  It  can 
not  be  certainly  known,  at  this  day,  what  were  the  causes 
for  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  Tumbez.  The 
curaca  of  the  place  was  taken  prisoner  by  some  of  Pizarro's 
men,  and  his  explanation  of  the  matter  \v  as,  that  the  war 


618  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

with,  the  Puna  islanders  had  resulted  in  this  demolition  of 
the  city.  No  certain  intelligence  was  ever  obtained  of  the 
fate  of  those  whites  who  had  been  left  at  Tumbez  at  the 
time  of  the  former  expedition  of  discovery.  • 

It  now  became  evident  to  Pizarro  that  he  should  have 
some  fixed  place  of  settlement,  where  his  troops  might 
encamp  and  live  in  safety  until  a  proper  opportunity  pre 
sented  itself  for  more  active  operations.  He  therefore  set 
himself  to  explore  the  country  to  the  southward.  In  con 
ducting  this  examination,  he  made  use  of  a  more  concilia 
tory  policy  than  heretofore,  in  his  intercourse  with  the 
natives,  and  took  pains  to  restrain,  for  the  time,  the  ra 
pacity  of  his  followers.  The  result  was  that  the  Indians 
were  in  turn  friendly  and  hospitable.  A  settlement  was 
made,  and  the  foundation  of  a  town,  called  San  Miguel, 
commenced  on  the  river  Piura.  Numbers  of  the  natives 
were  reduced  to  vassalage,  and  distributed  among  the 
Spaniards  to  aid  in  the  labor  of  improving  and  extending 
the  village. 

Pizarro  had  gathered  information,  by  means  of  the  in 
terpreters  in  his  company  —  the  natives  formerly  taken  by 
him  to  Spain  —  of  the  political  state  of  the  country,  and 
of  the  present  location  of  Atahuallpa,  at  or  near  Caxa- 
malca.  He  had  secured  a  considerable  amount  of  gold, 
which  was  sent  back  to  Panama,  by  consent  of  the  company, 
and  applied,  after  deducting  the  perquisites  of  the  crown, 
to  defray  the  expense  of  fitting  out  the  expedition. 

The  whole  summer  was  spent  in  these  operations,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  24th  of  September,  1532,  that  the 
commander  was  prepared  to  lead  his  small  army  into  the 
interior.  His  whole  force  was  less  than  two  hundred 
men,  from  whom  it  was  necessary  to  deduct  a  portion  for 
the  purpose  of  garrisoning  San  Miguel.  On  the  march 
towards  the  enormous  range  of  mountains  which  they  were 
to  cross,  the  Spaniards  refrained  from  rapine  and  plunder. 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


619 


They  were  therefore  received  with  kindly  curiosity  by  the 
inhabitants,  and  in  their  progress  availed  themselves  with 
out  molestation  of  the  public  fortresses  and  sheltered 
stopping-places  prepared  upon  the  high  roads  for  the  use 
of  the  royal  armies.  They  were  delighted  with  the  rich 
and  highly-cultivated  appearance  of  many  of  the  beautiful 
valleys  passed  upon  the  route. 

The  company  consisted  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  men,  of  whom  sixty-seven  were  mounted.  From 
this  number,  nine  malecontents  were  suffered  by  the  pru 
dent  leader  to  return  to  San  Miguel,  upon  pretence  that 
the  garrison  left  there  was  too  weak,  but  in  reality  to  pre 
vent  the  spread  of  discontent  among  the  troops. 

In  a  hopeful  spirit,  and  with  strengthened  confidence  in 
their  commander,  the  little  cavalcade  pressed  on  to  Xaran, 
a  fertile  settlement  amid  the  mountains.  A  few  leagues 
south  of  this  place,  at  Caxas,  a  garrison  of  the  Inca's 
troops  were  said  to  be  stationed,  and  thither  Pizarro  sent 
an  embassy,  under  the  direction  of  De  Soto,  to  open  a 
communication  with  the  prince.  The  messengers  were 
absent  no  less  than  a  week ;  but  they  finally  returned  in 
safety,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Inca, 
bearing  rich  presents  and  messages  of  welcome  and  invita 
tion  from  the  monarch  in  person.  Pizarro  received  this 
noble  with  the  respect  due  to  his  rank  and  position,  be 
stowing  upon  him  such  gifts  as  would  be  most  attractive  in 
the  eyes  of  a  person  ignorant  of  European  arts.  At  his 
departure,  the  envoy  was  charged  to  tell  his  sovereign  that 
the  band  of  whites  was  subject  to  a  great  emperor  of  a 
distant  country ;  that  they  had  heard  of  the  Inca's  great 
ness  and  conquests,  and  had  come  to  proffer  their  aid  in 
his  wars. 

Continuing  their  march,  the  Spaniards  reached  the  foot 
of  the  Andes.  Nothing  but  the  fiercest  courage  and  the 
most  undaunted  resolution,  both  excited  to  the  utmost  by 


620  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  hope  of  boundless  riches  and  rewards,  could  have 
stimulated  such  a  handful  of  adventurers  to  undertake  the 
ascent  of  this  enormous  range  of  mountains,  where  noth 
ing  could  save  them  from  utter  destruction,  should  the 
forbearance  of  the  natives  cease.  The  main  mountain 
road,  stretching  off  to  the  southward  towards  the  ancient 
Peruvian  capital,  tempted  them  to  take  their  course  in  that 
direction,  while  across  the  mountains  a  narrow  and  difficult 
pass  led  towards  the  encampment  of  the  Inca.  It  was 
determined  to  push  on  in  the  originally  proposed  direction. 
The  vast  and  rugged  elevations,- rising  one  beyond  another, 
must  have  appeared  to  the  unpractised  eye  totally  insur 
mountable. 

"  *     *     *     Those  everlasting  clouds, 
Seedtime  and  harvest,  morning,  noon,  and  night, 
Still  where  they  were,  steadfast,  immovable  — 
So  massive,  yet  so  shadowy,  so  ethereal, 
As  to  belong  rather  to  Heaven  than  Earth  — 
*     *     They  seemed  the  barriers  of  a  World, 
Saying,  Thus  far,  no  farther ! " 

The  accounts  of  modern  travellers  have  familiarized  us 
with  the  details  of  the  dangers  attendant  upon  a  passage 
of  the  Andes.  What  then  must  have  been  the  attempt  by 
these  pioneers,  totally  ignorant  of  the  route,  and  momen 
tarily  expecting  an  attack  from  the  natives  in  passes  where 
an  army  could  be  effectually  checked  by  a  handful  of  reso 
lute  men.  Their  fears  of  Indian  treachery  proved,  how 
ever,  groundless ;  they  reached  the  summit  in  safety,  and, 
while  encamped  about  the  fires  rendered  necessary  by  the 
sharp  air  of  those  elevated  regions,  messengers  again  ap 
peared,  sent  by  Atahuallpa  to  meet  them.  A  present  of 
llamas  proved  most  acceptable  to  the  wearied  and  suffering 
troops,  and,  from  all  that  could  be  gathered  by  communion 
with  the  ambassadors,  it  did  not  appear  probable  that  they 
would  be  molested  upon  their  route. 


SOUTH    AMERICAN   INDIANS.  621 

Little  doubt  was  entertained  by  Pizarro  that  the  Inca 
fully  intended  to  entrap  and  seize  him  as  soon  as  he 
should  be  completely  in  his  power,  and  surrounded  by 
an  irresistible  force  of  his  subjects.  It  was  ascertained 
that  Atahuallpa  was  encamped  with  a  large  army  only 
three  miles  from  Caxamalca,  and  that  the  city  was  aban 
doned  by  its  inhabitants.  This  had  a  threatening  ap 
pearance,  but  the  Inca  continued  to  send  friendly  mes 
sages,  and  as  it  was  too  late  to  think  of  retreat,  even 
had  their  hearts  now  failed  them,  the  Spaniards  descended 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes,  and  entered  the  valley  of 
Caxamalca.  Every  thing  now  seen  gave  tokens  of  pros 
perity,  industry,  and  skill.  "  Below  the  adventurers," 
says  Prescott,  "  with  its  white  houses  glittering  in  the  sun, 
lay  the  little  city  of  Caxamalca,  like  a  sparkling  gem  on 
the  dark  skirts  of  the  sierra."  Farther  on,  the  immense 
encampment  of  the  Inca  was  seen  in  the  distance,  spot 
ting  the  rising  ground  with  countless  tents.  Marching 
through  the  valley,  the  troops  entered  the  vacant  city 
upon  the  15th  of  November  (1532). 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FIRST  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  INCA.  — PLANS  FOR  HIS  CAPTURE.  — EN 
TRY  OF  ATAHUALLPA  INTO  CAXAMALCA.  — ADDRESS  OF  THE  CHAP 
LAIN.  —  ATTACK  BY  THE  SPANIARDS  :  FEARFUL  MASSACRE  OF  THE 
NATIVES,  AND  SEIZURE  OF  THE  INCA.  —  PRISONERS  AND  PLUNDER 
OBTAINED. —  THE  PROMISED  RANSOM.  —  HERNANDO  PIZARRO'S  VISIT 
TO  PACHACAMACA.—  CHALLCUCHIM  A.  —  MESSENGERS  SENT  TO  CUZ- 
CO.  —  IMMENSE  TREASURE  COLLECTED  AT  CAXAMALCA.  —  TRIAL  AND 
MURDER  OF  ATAHUALLPA. 

A  SMALL  party  of  horse,  led  by  Hernando  Pizarro  and 
by  the  brave  and  chivalrous  De  Soto,  was  at  once  des 
patched  to  report  to  the  Inca  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards. 


622  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Dashing  boldly  up,  upon  their  spirited  horses,  the  Span 
iards  entered  the  space  occupied  by  the  Peruvian  camp, 
and  soon  stood  in  the  royal  presence.  Atahuallpa,  distin 
guished  by  the  "  borla,"  or  crimson  fringe  bound  around 
the  forehead,  an  ornament  peculiar  to  the  Incas,  sat  ex 
pecting  their  arrival,  surrounded  by  his  officers  of  state. 
He  did  not  so  far  unbend  his  dignity  as  to  pay  the  least 
attention  to  the  novel  appearance  of  the  steel-clad  caval 
cade,  but  kept  his  eyes  immovably  fixed  upon  the  ground. 
Without  dismounting,  Hernando  saluted  the  monarch, 
and,  through  Felipillo's  interpretation,  made  known  his 
general's  avowed  purposes,  and  earnestly  requested  the 
king  to  visit  the  Spanish  camp  in  person.  One  of  the 
attendants,  speaking  in  behalf  of  his  master,  briefly  re 
plied,  "It  is  well." 

Hernando  still  persisted  in  requesting  the  monarch  to 
make  known  his  pleasure,  and  to  speak  to  them  personally  ; 
whereupon  Atahuallpa,  turning  his  head,  and  looking  upon 
him  with  a  smile,  announced  that  he  was  then  in  the  -ob 
servance  of  a  fast,  but  would  visit  the  Spanish  quarters  on 
the  ensuing  day.  He  further  directed  that  the  troops 
should  confine  themselves  to  the  buildings  situated  upon 
the  plaza  or  public  square. 

De  Soto  is  said  to  have  been  mounted  upon  a  noble 
charger,  and,  to  excite  the  admiration  of  the  Inca,  he  put 
his  horse  to  his  full  speed,  and  wheeling  suddenly,  drew 
him  short  up  immediately  in  front  of  the  monarch.  Ata- 
huallpa's  nerves  were  proof  against  this  display,  and  he 
gave  no  signs  whatever  of  any  emotion.  It  was  afterwards 
reported  that  he  caused  several  of  his  attendants  to  be  put 
to  death  for  exhibiting  alarm,  upon  this  occasion,  at  the 
fury  and  spirit  of  the  war-horse. 

Some  of  the  women  of  the  royal  household  now  offered 
the  Spaniards  the  fermented  drink  of  the  country,  "  chi- 
cha,"  in  golden  goblets.  This  they  drank  in  their  saddles, 


SOUTH    AMERICAN    INDIANS. 


623 


and  then  spurred  back  to  the  encampment  at  Caxamalca. 
Their  report  of  the  power  of  the  Peruvian  force  tended 
greatly  to  discourage  the  little  band  of  adventurers,  but 
only  served  to  nerve  their  bold  and  unscrupulous  leader 
to  a  more  determined  purpose.  Recollecting  the  success 
of  Cortez  in  securing  the  person  of  Montezuma,  and 
through  him,  for  the  time,  controlling  the  officers  of  the 
capital,  Pizarro  determined  upon  the  same  policy.  He 
made  known  his  resolution  to  his  officers',  and  then  pro 
ceeded  to  distribute  sentinels  at  points  where  they  could 
command  a  view  of  the  approaches  to  the  city,  and  of  the 
Peruvian  camp. 

At  day-break  on  the  following  morning,  Pizarro  com 
menced  his  arrangements  for  the  surprise  and  capture  of 
the  Inca.  The  great  square  (more  properly,  in  this  in 
stance,  a  triangle)  was  surrounded  with  low  buildings, 
with  large  entrances  on  the  same  level  with  the  enclosed 
space.  They  were  built  partly  of  stone,  but  mostly  of 
unburnt  brick  or  clay.  The  Spanish  caralry,  in  two  sep 
arate  bodies,  respectively  under  command  of  Hernando 
Pizarro  and  De  Soto,  was  concealed  in  large  halls,  from 
which  a  sally  could  be  made  at  a  moment's  warning.  The 
foot  soldiers  were  stationed  in  another  quarter,  where  they 
could  most  promptly  second  the  efforts  of  the  horse ;  and 
two  small  falconets,  constituting  the  only  artillery,  were 
placed  under  charge  of  an  officer  called  Pedro  de  Candia, 
from  the  place  of  his  birth. 

The  Peruvian  monarch,  on  his  part,  made  preparations 
to  appear  in  the  utmost  state,  and  to  impress  the  eyes  of 
the  strangers  with  his  power  and  magnificence.  So  much 
time  was  occupied  in  the  movements  of  the  immense  army, 
that  it  was  after  noon  before  the  Inca  arrived  at  the  city. 
He  was  about  to  pitch  his  camp  without  the  walls,  and 
postpone  his  visit  till  the  following  morning,  had  not 
Pizarro  sent  a  message,  earnestly  requesting  him  not  to 


624  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

delay  his  coming,  as  all  was  ready  for  his  entertainment. 
Entirely  unsuspicious  of  the  perfidious  intention  of  the 
Spaniards,  Atahuallpa  complied  with  the  request.  It  was 
nearly  sunset  when  he  entered  the  town,  accompanied  by 
thousands  upon  thousands  of  obsequious  but  unarmed 
attendants.  He  was  borne  by  numbers  of  his  people  upon 
a  high  palanquin,  on  a  seat  of  massive  gold,  hung  about 
and  adorned  with  the  most  brilliant  feathered  work.  His 
dress  was  equally  magnificent,  and  sparkled  with  the  rarest 
gems. 

Arriving  at  the  middle  of  the  great  square,  with  his 
people,  to  the  number,  as  was  computed,  of  from  five 
to  six  thousand,  ranged  in  respectful  silence  around  him, 
Atahuallpa  was  surprised  to  see  nothing  of  the  Euro 
peans.  Presently,  however,  the  chaplain,  Vicente  de  Val- 
verde,  made  his  appearance,  and,  addressing  the  Inca, 
commenced  a  long-winded  oration  upon  the  religion  of 
the  Spaniards,  the  authority  of  their  monarch  and  of  the 
Pope,  and  the  purposes  of  the  expedition  ;  and  concluded 
by  exhorting  him  to  discard  his  idolatrous  worship,  to 
receive  that  now  proffered,  and  to  acknowledge  himself 
the  subject  of  the  emperor  !  Old  Purchas  gives  the  fol 
lowing  outline  of  the  ecclesiastic's  oration :  "  Excellent 
lord,  it  behoves  you  to  know,  that  God  in  trinity  and 
unity  made  the  world  of  nothing,  and  formed  a  man  of 
the  earth  whom  he  called  Adam,  of  whom  we  all  have 
beginning.  Adam  sinned  against  his  Creator  by  disobe 
dience,  and  in  him  all  his  posterity,  except  Jesus  Christ, 
who,  being  God,  came  down  from  heaven  and  took  flesh 
of  the  Virgin  Mary ;  and  to  redeem  mankind,  died  on 
a  cross  like  to  this  (for  which  cause  we  worship  it)  ;  rose 
again  the  third  day,  and  after  forty  days,  ascended  into 
heaven,  leaving  for  his  vicar  in  earth  Saint  Peter,  and 
successors,  which  we  call  popes  ;  who  have  given  to  the 
most  puissant  King  of  Spain,  Emperor  of  the  Romans> 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  625 

the  monarchy  of  the  world.  Obey  the  Pope,  and  receive 
the  faith  of  Christ  ;  and  if  ye  shall  believe  it  most  holy, 
and  that  most  false  which  ye  have,  ye  shall  do  well ; 
and  know  that,  doing  the  contrary,  we  will  make  war 
on  you,  and  will  take  away  and  break  your  idols ;  there 
fore  leave  the  deceivable  religion  of  your  false  gods." 
All  this  (to  him)  tedious  and  incomprehensible  jargon 
was  interpreted  to  the  Inca  —  according  to  report,  with 
some  rather  ludicrous  errors,  in  the  explanation  of  the 
religious  dogmas.  He  listened  in  silence  until  he  heard 
the  arrogant  and  insolent  conclusion,  when  not  even  the 
apathy  or  self-control  of  the  Indian  was  sufficient  to  en 
able  him  to  conceal  his  indignation.  He  replied  in  lan 
guage  befitting  a  king,  that  no  man  could  claim  superiority 
over  him,  and  that  he  would  never  abjure  the  religion  of 
his  country.  "  For  the  emperor,"  he  said,  according  to 
Purchas,  "  he  could  be*  pleased  to  be  the  friend  of  so  great 
a  prince,  and  to  know  him ;  but  for  the  Pope,  he  would 
not  obey  him,  which  gave  away  that  which  was  not  his 
own,  and  took  a  kingdom  from  him  whom  he  had  never 
seen  ;  as  for  religion,  he  liked  well  his  own,  and  neither 
would  nor  ought  to  call  it  in  question,  being  so  ancient 
and  approved,  especially  seeing  Christ  died,  which  never 
befell  the  sun  or  moon."  Then  taking  from  the  priest's 
hand  the  Bible  or  breviary  which  he  held  forth  as  the 
authority  for  his  unheard-of  assumption,  the  Inca  threw  it 
upon  the  ground,  angrily  announcing  his  determination 
of  calling  the  Spaniards  to  a  speedy  account  for  their  pre 
sumption,  and  for  the  wrongs  already  inflicted  upon  his 
nation. 

The  friar  sought  out  Pizarro,  and  urged  him  to  make 
an  immediate  attack,  offering  him  absolution  for  any  sin 
he  might  commit  in  so  doing.  The  fierce  Spaniard  and 
his  impatient  troops  were  but  too  ready  to  accept  this 
advice.  All  day  had  they  kept  their  stations  in  a  condi- 


626  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

tion  of  the  most  trying  suspense,  ready  every  moment  to 
be  called  to  action.  The  appointed  signal  was  instantly 
give.n5  and  in  the  midst  of  a  discharge  from  the  falconets 
and  muskets,  the  whole  force  rushed  furiously  upon  the 
unarmed  crowd  of  natives.  Never,  in  the  history  of  the 
world,  was  a  more  bloody  and  remorseless  massacre  com 
mitted.  In  the  short  space  intervening  between  sunset 
and  darkness,  several  thousand  of  the  miserable  wretches 
were  slain  unresistingly.  In  vain  did  the  nobles  throng 
round  their  monarch,  with  noble  self-devotion  throwing 
away  their  lives  for  their  master,  and  opposing  their  bodies 
to  shield  him  from  the  weapons  whose  force  they  had  no 
means  to  avert.  The  unhappy  prince  was  taken  prisoner, 
and  securely  confined  in  an  adjoining  building.  The 
Spaniards  were  greatly  struck  with  the  appearance  and 
noble  demeanor  of  their  royal  captive.  He  is  represented 
as  not  far  from  thirty  years  of  age,  of  a  well-built  and 
commanding  figure,  with  regular  features  and  a  singular 
majesty  of  expression  —  "  his  countenance  might  have  been 
called  handsome,  but  that  his  eyes,  which  were  blood-shot, 
gave  a  fierce  expression  to  his  features." 

The  only  Spaniard  wounded  during  this  bloody  and 
horrible  transaction  was  Pizarro  himself,  who  received  a 
wound  in  the  hand  from  one  of  his  own  men,  while 
endeavoring  to  ward  off  a  blow  aimed  at  the  person  of 
the  Inca. 

Next  day  the  Indian  prisoners  were  set  at  work  to  bury 
the  heaps  of  their  slaughtered  companions,  and  detach 
ments  of  troops  were  sent  over  to  Atahuallpa's  former 
place  of  encampment.  These  returned  in  a  few  hours, 
driving  in  great  numbers  of  prisoners  of  both  sexes,  many 
of  the  women  being  those  belonging  to  the  Inca's  house 
hold.  The  Spaniards  reserved  as  many  slaves  as  their 
need  or  pride  required ;  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  were  set 
free,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  some  in  the  army,  who 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  627 

were  strenuous  that  they  should  be  maimed  or  massacred. 
The  victors  were  now  at  liberty  to  plunder  at  will,  and 
their  extravagance  and  waste  had  full  scope.  The  vast 
flocks  of  llamas,  so  long  the  pride  and  support  of  the 
country,  and  over  which  such  a  systematic  and  watchful 
care  had  been  exercised  for  ages,  were  slaughtered  without 
stint,  or  left  to  roam  neglected  among  the  mountains.  The 
stores  of  beautiful  fabrics  of  wool  and  cotton,  with  which 
the  city  was  stored,  were  open  to  the  depredation  of  all ; 
and  no  small  amount  of  plunder,  in  gold,  silver,  and  emer 
alds,  was  secured  at  the  Peruvian  camp,  or  taken  from  the 
bodies  of  the  slain,  and  laid  by  for  future  division. 

The  Inca  was,  meanwhile,  treated  with  a  certain  respect, 
but  his  person  was  most  carefully  guarded.  He  was  al 
lowed  the  services  of  his  attendants,  who,  throughout  his 
captivity,  showed  no  diminution  of  obsequiousness  and 
respect,  but  bowed  as  hsmbly  before  their  revered  monarch 
in  his  fallen  fortunes,  as  when  he  sat  upon  his  throne  of 
state,  the  arbiter  of  life  and  death  to  all  around  him. 

Atahuallpa  could  not  fail  to  perceive  what  was  the  mas 
ter  motive  to  all  acts  of  his  captors.  Appealing  to  this, 
he  promised  Pizarro  that,  if  he  would  engage  to  set  him 
at  liberty,  the  floor  of  the  room  where  they  then  stood, 
should  be  covered  with  gold  for  his  ransom.  The  size  of 
the  apartment  is  variously  stated,  but  it  was  at  least  seven 
teen  feet  broad,  and  twenty  or  thirty  in  length.  As  the 
Spaniards  appeared  to  look  upon  this  promise  as  an  idle 
boast,  the  Inca  raised  his  hand  against  the  wall,  and  added 
that  "  he  would  not  merely  cover  the  floor,  but  would  fill 
the  room  with  gold  as  high  as  he  could  reach." 

Pizarro  accepted  the  offer,  and  a  line  was  drawn  around 
the  room  at  the  agreed  height.  The  gold,  whether  in  the 
form  of  bars  and  plates,  or  of  vases  and  statuary,  was  to 
be  piled  without  being  broken  up  or  reduced  in  bulk. 
Besides  this  undertaking,  which  was  to  be  accomplished 


C28  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

within  two  months,  a  smaller  room  was  to  be  filled  "  twice 
full  of  silver,  in  like  manner."  Messengers  were  immedi 
ately  commissioned  to  order  gold  from  every  quarter  of  the 
kingdom,  to  be  brought  as  speedily  as  possible  for  the  ran 
som  of  the  monarch. 

Huascar,  hearing,  in  his  place  of  confinement,  of  the 
reverse  which  had  befallen  his  brother,  at  once  opened  a 
communication  with  Pizarro,  and  made  offers  still  more 
magnificent  than  those  of  Atahuallpa,  if  the  Spaniards 
would  espouse  his  cause.  Pizarco  expressed  his  determina 
tion  to  hear  the  claims  of  both  parties,  and  to  decide,  from 
the  evidence  that  should  be  adduced,  as  to  their  respective 
rights.  Huascar  was,  very  shortly  after  this,  put  to  death 
by  his  keepers,  as  was  generally  believed,  in  accordance 
with  secret  instructions  from  Atahuallpa. 

The  royal  mandate,  commanding  the  desecration  of  the 
magnificent  temples  and  palaces,  by%  stripping  them  of  their 
wealth  of  precious  metals,  was  obeyed  as  speedily  as  prac 
ticable.  Gold  came  in  to  Caxamalca  in  large  quantities, 
but  the  difficulty  of  conveyance  caused  no  little  delay. 
While  waiting  the  completion  of  his  captive's  undertaking, 
Pizarro  sent  emissaries  to  Cuzco  to  examine  the  condi 
tion  and  wealth  of  the  country,  and  despatched  his  brother 
Hernando,  with  a  small  party  of  horsemen,  to  visit  the 
city  of  Pachacamac,  three  hundred  miles  distant,  upon  the 
sea-coast.  Hernando  returned  to  Caxamalca  with  glow 
ing  reports  of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  country 
through  which  he  had  passed  on  this  expedition.  He  had 
visited  the  city  for  which  he  had  directed  his  course,  and 
had  destroyed  the  great  idol  upon  the  temple,  the  former 
object  of  worship  to  the  inhabitants,  and  which  had  been 
allowed  to  maintain  its  place  by  the  Peruvian  conquerors, 
and  to  receive  joint  homage  with  the  sun.  In  crossing  the 
rocky  and  rugged  mountains,  the  shoes  of  the  horses  gave 
out,  and,  as  no  iron  was  to  be  procured,  it  was  necessary 


SOUTH    AMERICAN   INDIANS.  629 

to  replace  them  with  silver  !  or,  as  some  say,  with  a  mix 
ture  of  silver  and  copper. 

Hernando  brought  back  with  him  Challcuchima,  a  vet 
eran  officer  of  the  Inca's,  and  the  most  esteemed  and  trust 
worthy  of  his  generals.  He  voluntarily  accompanied  the 
Spanish  cavalcade,  having  been  told  by  its  leader  that  his 
monarch  desired  to  see  him.  When  the  old  soldier  came 
into  his  master's  presence,  (barefoot,  and  carrying,  accord 
ing  to  custom,  a  small  burden,  in  token  of  inferiority,)  he 
lamented  audibly  that  he  had  been  absent  at  the  time  of 
his  capture ;  and,  weeping  bitterly,  kissed  the  hands  and 
feet  of  the  fallen  prince.  Atahuallpa  preserved  the  calm, 
unbending  dignity  which  he  ever  assumed  in  communica 
tions  with  his  subjects. 

The  messengers  sent  to  Cuzco  demeaned  themselves 
with  the  utmost  pride  and  insolence.  The  whole  of  the 
long  journey  was  accomplished  in  litters  or  sedan-chairs, 
borne  by  the  natives.  At  the  royal  city  these  emissaries 
superintended  the  stripping  of  the  great  temple  of  its 
golden  plates  and  ornaments,  of  which  a  vast  weight  was 
prepared  for  transportation  to  Caxamalca. 

At  the  latter  place  of  encampment,  the  Spanish  army 
was  \ery  considerably  reenforced  in  the  succeeding  month 
of  February,  (1533,)  by  the  arrival  of  Tizarro's  old  com 
rade  Almagro.  He  brought  with  him,  from  the  Spanish 
settlements  on  the  Isthmus,  two  hundred  well-armed  sol 
diers,  fifty  of  whom  were  cavalry.  Thus  recruited,  Pi- 
zarro  was  eager  to  extend  his  conquests  and  acquisitions. 
The  promises  of  the  Inca  were  not,  as  yet,  wholly  fulfilled, 
although  such  piles  of  treasure  were  accumulated  as  might 
well  astonish  and  satisfy  even  the  eyes  of  the  rapacious 
Spaniards.  The  beauty  and  finish  of  many  of  the  mas 
sive  vases  and  figures  were  long  after  admired  by  the 
artists  of  Europe.  Among  the  representations  of  natural 
objects  wrought  in  the  precious  metals,  was  the  ear  of 


630  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

maize.  Of  this,  the  leaves  and  tassel  were  perfectly  imi 
tated  in  silver  work,  the  yellow  kernel  within  glistening 
with  the  purest  gold. 

It  was  determined  to  acquit  the  Inca  of  any  further  ful 
filment  of  his  promise,  but  to  retain  him  a  prisoner,  and 
at  once  to  break  up  and  divide  the  treasure.  Some  of  the 
more  beautiful  specimens  of  art  were  reserved  to  be  sent  to 
Spain  ;  the  rest  was  melted  into  ingots  by  the  native  arti 
sans.  "  The  total  amount  of  the  gold,"  as  stated  and  com 
puted  by  Mr.  Prescott,  "  was  found  to  be  one  million,  three 
hundred  and  twenty-six  thousand,  five  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  pesos  de  oro,  which,  allowing  for  the  greater  value  of 
money  in  the  sixteenth  century,  would  be  equivalent, 
probably,  at  the  present  time,  to  near  three  millions  and  a 
half  of  pounds  sterling,  or  somewhat  less  than  fifteen  millions 
and  a  half  of  dollars.  The  quantity  of  silver  was  esti 
mated  at  fifty-one  thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  marks." 
The  gold,  as  above  estimated,  is,  indeed,  more  than  thrice 
the  sum  that  the  same  weight  of  the  precious  metal  would 
be  worth  at  the  present  day.  The  peso  de  oro  is  said  to 
have  been,  specifically,  about  equal  to  three  dollars  and 
seven  cents. 

Of  all  this  booty,  the  crown  had  its  fifth,  and  the  rest 
was  distributed  in  various  proportions  among  the  numer 
ous  claimants.  But  a  small  allowance  was  made  to  the 
new  recruits,  and  still  less  to  the  settlers  at  San  Miguel. 
Certain  sums  were  devoted  to  the  establishment  of  the 
Catholic  religion  in  the  new  country. 

Having  now  obtained  all  that  was  to  be  expected 
through  the  Inca's  intervention,  at  least  without  such  de 
lays  as  their  impatient  spirits  could  not  brook,  the  unprin 
cipled  horde  of  freebooters  whose  proceedings  we  are  now 
recording,  determined  to  rid  themselves  of  a  captive  who 
had  become  an  incumbrance. 

The  ridiculous   farce   of  a  trial  was   gone   through,  at 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  683 

which  such  accusations  as  the  following  were  made,  and 
pretended  to  be  sustained  :  He  had  been  guilty  of  polyga 
my  ;  of  "  squandering  the  public's  revenues  since  the 
conquest ; "  of  idolatry  [!] ;  of  the  murder  of  his  brother 
Huascar  ;  and  of  striving  to  excite  a  rebellion  against  the 
Spanish  authorities  !  This  last  charge,  the  only  one 
brought  before  the  self-constituted  court  which  is  worthy 
of  comment,  was  utterly  unsustained.  The  country  was 
perfectly  quiet,  and  even  the  ingenuity  of  the  prejudiced 
judges  failed  to  connect  the  royal  captive  with  any  attempt 
at  insurrection.  It  is  said  that  the  malice  of  the  interpre 
ter  Felipillo  induced  him  to  distort  the  testimony  adduced. 
This  fellow  had  been  engaged,  as  is  said,  in  an  intrigue 
with  one  of  the  Inca's  women.  The  usefulness  of  the 
interpreter  protected  him  from  punishment,  but  the  ex 
pressed  indignation  of  the  prince,  excited  the  permanent 
rancor  and  ill-will  of  his  inferior. 

The  unhappy  Atahuallpa  was  sentenced  to  be  buried 
alive  in  the  public  square  that  very  night.  When  his 
doom  was  made  known  to  him,  he  at  first  resorted  to 
every  entreaty  and  expostulation  to  move  his  murderers 
from  their  diabolical  purpose.  With  tears  he  reminded 
Pizarro  of  the  treasures  he  had  lavished  on  the  Spaniards, 
and  the  good  faith  which  he  had  always  shown,  and  prom 
ised  a  ransom  far  greater  than  that  before  brought  in,  if  he 
could  but  have  time  to  procure  it,  and  if  his  life  were  spared. 
Seeing  that  entreaties  and  supplications  availed  nothing, 
the  dignity  and  firm  spirit  of  endurance  of  the  monarch 
returned,  and  he  calmly  awaited  his  terrible  fate.  By  the 
light  of  torches  he  was  brought  out  and  chained  to  the 
stake,  and,  at  the  last  moment,  submitted  to  the  disgrace 
ful  mockery  of  an  administration  of  the  sacraments,  and 
a  formal  profession  of  Christianity,  that  a  speedier  form  of 
death  might  be  awarded  him.  He  perished  by  the  infa 
mous  garotte. 

36 


634  INDIAN   RACES    OF   AMERICA. 

Hernando  de  Soto,  a  man  who,  with  the  faults  of  his 
age  and  nation,  was  vastly  superior  to  the  merciless  villains 
with  whom  he  was  associated,  was  absent  at  the  time  of 
this  transaction,  and  on  his  return  condemned  the  proceed 
ing  in  strong  terms.  A  small  proportion  of  the  company 
thought  the  same  with  De  Soto,  concerning  the  murder, 
but  by  far  the  greater  number  were  but  too  glad  to  be  rid 
of  a  troublesome  captive,  to  trouble  themselves  about  the 
means  of  accomplishing  their  purpose.  Those  chiefly  con 
cerned,  felt  sufficiently  the  disgrace  attendant  upon  their 
acts,  to  endeavor  to  shift  the  responsibility  upon  each  other. 

In  "  Purchas,  his  Pilgrimage,"  is*the  following  summary 
of  the  end  of  the  principal  agents  in  the  murder  of  Ata- 
huallpa  :  "  Howbeit  they  killed  him  notwithstanding,  and 
in  a  night  strangled  him.  But  God,  the  righteous  Judge, 
seeing  this  villanous  act,  suffered  none  of  those  Spaniards 
to  die  by  the  course  of  nature,  but  brought  them  to  cruel 
and  shameful  ends.  *  *  Almagro  was  executed  by  Pizar- 
ro,  and  he  slain  by  young  Almagro  ;  and  him  Vacca  de 
Castra  did  likewise  put  to  death.  John-  Pizarro  was  slain 
by  the  Indians.  Martin,  another  of  the  brethren,  was 
slain  with  Francis.  Ferdinandus  was  imprisoned  in  Spain, 
and  his  end  unknown  ;  Gonzales  was  done  to  death  by 
Gasca.  Soto  died  of  thought  in  Florida  ;  and  civil  wars 
ate  up  the  rest  in  Peru." 

A  condition  of  anarchy  and  intestine  disturbance  suc 
ceeded  the .  death  of  the  Inca,  and  the  rude  shock  given 
by  the  Spanish  invasion  •  to  the  old  system  of  arbitrary, 
but  fixed  and  unchangeable  laws.  Seeing  the  value  at 
tached  to  the  precious  metals,  the  natives  in  many  instances 
followed  the  example  of  the  conquerors  in  plundering  and 
destroying  the  public  edifices  of  their  own  country.  The 
quantity  of  gold  and  silver  conveyed  away  and  concealed 
for  ever  from  the  covetous  eyes  of  the  Europeans  was  said 
to  have  infinitely  surpassed  that  which  they  had  secured. 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  635 


CHAPTER    V. 

MARCH  TOWARDS  CUZCO.  — OPPOSITION  OF  THE  NATIVES.  —  DEATH 
OF  TOPARCA,  AND  MURDER  OF  CHALLCUCHIMA.  — MANCO  CAPAC.— 
ENTRY  INTO  THE  CAPITAL.  —  BOOTY  OBTAINED.  — ESCAPE  OF  MAN- 
CO,  AND  GENERAL  INSURRECTION.  —  SIEGE  OF  CUZCO.  —  REVERSES 
OF  THE  SPANIARDS.  —  CIVIL  WARS.  —  FURTHER  HOSTILITIES  OF 
MANCO  CAPAC.  —  CRUEL  TREATMENT  OF  THE  NATIVES.  —  DEATH  OF 
MANCO  CAPAC.— REFORMS  UNDER  PEDRO  DE  LA  GASCA.  —  TUPAC 
AMARU.  — INSURRECTION  OF  1781.  — PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE 
PERUVIAN  INDIANS. 

PIZARRO  now  declared  the  sovereignty  of  Peru  to  be 
vested  in  a  brother  of  Atahuallpa  named  Toparco,  and  the 
ceremony  of  coronation  was  duly  performed.  Further 
stay  at  Caxamalca  was  deemed  unadvisable,  and,  with  the 
new  Inca  in  company,  the  Spanish  army  pushed  on  towards 
the  ancient  capital  of  Peru,  over  the  magnificent  road  of 
the  Incas.  The  ascent  of  the  mountain  ridges  was,  indeed, 
arduous  and  perilous,  as  the  road  was  intended  only  for 
foot  passengers  and  the  agile  Peruvian  sheep  or  "  camel," 
as  the  animal  was  designated  by  early  writers.  As  in 
former  progresses,  the  granaries  and  halting-places  pre 
pared  for  the  royal  armies  supplied  abundant  food  and 
shelter. 

The  first  attempt  upon  the  part  of  the  natives  to  arrest 
the  progress  of  the  cavalcade,  was  at  Xauxa,  where  they 
collected  to  oppose  the  passage  of  a  considerable  stream. 
Resistance  proved  unavailing  :  the  cavalry  dashed  through 
the  river,  and  dispersed  the  crowd.  Pizarro  encamped  at 
Xauxa,  and  commissioned  De  Soto,  with  sixty  mounted 
men,  to  go  forward,  and  see  that  all  was  safe  for  a  further 
advance.  As  that  cavalier  approached  Cuzco,  after  cross 
ing  the  Apurimac,  a  tributary  of  the  Amazon,  his  com 
mand  was  beset  by  a  hostile  force  of  Indians  among  the 


1 
636  INDIAN   EACES    OF   AMERICA. 

dangerous  passes  of  the  mountain  which  he  must  cross  to 
reach  the  capital.  By  superhuman  efforts,  the  little  party 
managed  to  force  a  way  against  the  enemy  until  an  ele 
vated  plateau  w^as  gained,  where  there  was  room  for  the 
movements  of  the  horses.  The  natives,  becoming  more 
familiar  with  the  arms  and  mode  of  fighting  adopted  by 
the  Spaniards,  fought  with  their  natural  courage  and  reso 
lution.,  but  could  accomplish  little  after  the  cavalry  had 
attained  an  advantageous  position. 

During  the  night,  De  Soto  and  his  men  were  gladdened 
by  the  arrival  of  Almagro  upon  the  field,  with  most  of  the 
cavalry  left  at  Xauxa.  Pizarro  had  received  advices  of 
the  danger  to  which  his  advance  was  exposed,  and 
promptly  forwarded  assistance.  The  whole  Spanish  force 
finally  assembled  at  Xaquixaguana,  but  a  few  miles  from 
Cuzco.  In  this  delightful  valley,  a  favorite  resort  of 
the  Inca  nobility,  whose  country-seats  were  every  where 
.scattered  over  its  surface,  the  army  encamped  for  rest  and 
refreshment.  At  this  place  various  charges  were  brought 
up  against  the  noble  old  warrior,  Challcuchima.  The 
new  Inca,  Toparca,  had  died  during  the  halt  at  Xauxa, 
and  it  was  thought  convenient  to  attribute  his  death,  as 
well  as  the  recent  hostile  movements,  to  the  machinations 
of  this  dangerous  prisoner.  He  was  tried,  condemned, 
and  burned  alive  —  the  usual  method  of  execution  adopted 
by  the  Spaniards  in  the  case  of  an  Indian  victim.  It  is  to 
be  trusted  that  another  generation  will  look  upon  the  bar 
barities  still  persisted  in  among  the  most  enlightened 
nations  of  the  present  age,  with  the  same  sensations  that 
are  now  aroused  by  the  remembrance  of  the  cruelties  so 
universal  in  former  times. 

A  new  claimant  to  the  throne  of  the  Incas  had  now 
arisen  in  the  person  of  Manco  Capac,  a  brother  of  the  ill- 
fated  Huascar.  The  young  prince,  splendidly  attended, 
came  boldly  to  the  Spanish  camp,  explained  the  grounds 


SOUTH    AMERICAN    INDIANS.  637 

of  his  claim,  and  requested  the  aid  of  Pizarro  in  establish 
ing  his  rights.  The  general  received  him  kindly,  and 
seemed  to  accede  to  the  proposal.  In  company  with  this 
new  ally,  after  one  more  unimportant  skirmish,  the  Span 
iards  entered  Cuzco,  on  or  about  the  15th  of  November, 
1533.  They  were  delighted  with  the  extent  and  magnifi 
cence  of  the  city,  and  the  liveliness  and  gayety  of  its 
inhabitants. 

Temples,  public  edifices,  royal  palaces,  and  places  of 
sepulture,  were  every  where  ransacked  in  search  of  gold, 
but  orders  had  been  given  by  Pizarro  that  private  property 
should  be  respected.  The  rapacious  plunderers  were  dis 
satisfied  with  the  amount  of  treasure  discovered,  although 
no  conquest  in  the  history  of  the  world  was  ever  rewarded 
by  such  acquisitions  of  the  precious  metals,  and  proceeded 
to  subject  some  of  the  natives  to  the  torture,  to  compel  a 
disclosure  of  their  secret  places  of  deposit. 

"  In  a  cavern  near  the  city,"  says  Prescott,  "  they  found 
a  number  of  vases  of  pure  gold,  richly  embossed  with  the 
figures  of  serpents,  locusts,  and  other  animals.  Among 
the  spoil  were  four  golden  llamas,  and  ten  or  twelve 
statues  of  women,  some  of  gold,  others  of  silver,  '  which 
merely  to  see,'  says  one  of  the  conquerors,  with  some 
naivete,  '  was  truly  a  great  satisfaction.' '  Upon  the  march, 
no  small  amount  of  booty  had  been  secured  :  "  In  one 
place,  for  example,  they  met  with  ten  planks  or  bars  of 
solid  silver,  each  piece  being  twenty  feet  in  length,  one 
foot  in  breadth,  and  two  or  three  inches  thick." 

Manco  Capac  was  solemnly  crowned  at  Cuzco,  by 
Pizarro,  who,  with  his  own  hand,  presented  the  imperial 
badge,  the  "  borla  "  or  red  scarf  for  the  forehead.  The  con 
queror  arranged  a  system  of  government  for  the  city,  giv 
ing  his  brothers  Gonzalo  and  Juan  the  principal  authority. 
The  natives  seemed  to  acquiesce  readily  in  the  new  regu~ 
lations,  and  joined  hilariously  in  the  festivities  of  the  time. 


838  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Pizarro  now  bethought  himself  of  establishing  a  capital 
for  the  new  country  in  a  more  convenient  location  than 
either  Cuzco  or  Quito,  and  in  January,  1535,  the  founda 
tions  of  the  city  of  Lima  were  laid.  Hernandb  Pizarro 
had  been  previously  sent  to  Spain,  with  substantial  speci 
mens  of  the  newly-acquired  treasures.  His  appearance  at 
court,  and  his  details  of  strange  adventure,  excited  an  un 
precedented  enthusiasm  and  astonishment.  Large  addition 
al  emoluments  and  authorities  were  conferred  upon  the 
principal  actors  in  the  conquest ;  and  Hernando  returned 
to  America,  accompanied  by  numerous  adventurers  eager 
for  fame  and  fortune  in  the  new  world.  Almagro  received, 
by  royal  grant,  authority  to  conquer  and  possess  an  im 
mense  district,  southward  of  Peru ;  and  thither  he  took  up 
his  march,  after  a  long  series  of  bickerings  and  quarrels  with 
Juan  and  Gonzalo,  respecting  conflicting  claims  at  Cuzco. 

The  conquerors  of  the  empire  of  the  Incas  became  care 
less  and  secure  :  they  little  dreamed  that  there  yet  existed 
a  warlike  and  determined  spirit  among  the  down-trodden 
natives,  fated  soon  to  raise  a  storm  on  every  side,  which 
not  even  Spanish  valor  and  dogged  determination  could 
readily  allay. 

The  young  Inca,  Manco  Capac,  indignant  at  the  conduct 
of  the  rulers  at  Cuzco,  and  disgusted  with  the  shadow  of 
authority  which  he  was  himself  allowed  to  exercise,  made 
his  escape  from  the  surveillance  of  the  Pizarros,  and,  rous 
ing  the  whole  country  to  arms,  intrenched  himself  beyond 
the  Yucay.  Juan  Pizarro  in  vain  undertook  his  recapture. 
With  a  small  body  of  cavalry,  he  did,  indeed,  gain  a  tem 
porary  advantage,  but  the  effect  of  superstitious  fears  no 
longer  operated  to  dismay  the  Indian  warriors,  and  it  was 
only  by  virtue  of  hard  knocks,  and  by  actual  superiority 
in  skill,  weapons,  and  endurance,  that  they  could  be  con 
quered.  The  numbers  of  the  enemy  were  so  great,  and  so 
fast  increasing,  that  Juan  was  obliged,  in  a  few  days,  to 


SOUTH    AMERICAN   INDIANS.  639 

return  to  Cuzco,  which,  as  he  was  informed  by  a  messenger, 
was  now  besieged  by  the  Indians  in  still  more  overwhelm 
ing  force. 

In  the  elegant  language  of  Mr.  Prescott  :  ((  The  exten 
sive  environs,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  were  occupied 
by  a  mighty  host,  which  an  indefinite  computation  swelled 
to  the  number  of  two  hundred  thousand  warriors.  The 
dusky  lines  of  the  Indian  battalions  stretched  out  to  the 
very  verge  of  the  mountains  ;  while,  all  around,  the  eye 
saw  only  the  crests  and  waving  banners  of  chieftains, 
mingled  with  rich  panoplies  of  feather-work,  which  re 
minded  some  few  who  had  served  under  Cortez  of  the 
military  costume  of  the  Aztecs.  Above  all  rose  a  forest 
of  long  lances  and  battle-axes  edged  with  copper,  which, 
tossed  to  and  fro  in  wild  confusion,  glistened  in  the  rays 
of  the  setting  sun,  like  light  playing  on  the  surface  of  a 
dark  and  troubled  ocean.  It  was  the  first  time  that  the 
Spaniards  had  beheld  an  Indian  army  in  all  its  terrors ; 
such  an  army  as  the  Incas  led  to  battle,  when  the  banner 
of  the  Sun  was  borne  triumphant  over  the  land." 

It  is  almost  inconceivable  that  such  a  handful  of  men 
as  were  gathered  within  the  city-walls,  should  have  been 
able  to  repel  the  force  now  gathered  about  them,  and  to 
maintain  their  position  until  the  enemy,  wearied  with 
hopeless  encounters,  and  suffering  from  want  of  provision, 
should  be  obliged  to  draw  off. 

The  buildings  of  Cuzco  were  nearly  all  covered  with  a 
neatly  arranged  thatch,  and  this  the  assailants  easily  ig 
nited  by  means  of  burning  arrows.  The  whole  city  was 
wrapt  in  flames,  and  the  Spaniards,  encamped  in  the  great 
plaza,  nearly  perished  from  the  heat  and  smoke.  When 
the  flames  subsided,  after  several  days  of  terrible  conflagra 
tion,  one  half  of  the  proud  capital  was  a  heap  of  ruins. 

Fierce  battles  and  desperate  hand-to-hand  encounters 
succeeded  :  the  Spaniards,  with  their  accustomed  bravery, 


640  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

again  and  again  charged  the  enemy  in  the  field,  but  their 
numbers  were  so  great,  that  success  in  these  skirmishes 
was  eventually  useless.  The  sallies  from  the  city  were 
met  and  resisted  with  the  most  determined  valor.  As  at 
the  siege  of  Mexico,  the  Indians  seemed  to  be  careless  of 
their  own  loss,  so  long  as  they  could  lessen  the  numbers 
of  the  whites,  in  however  inferior  degrees.  They  no 
longer  fled  in  terror  at  the  approach  of  the  horse.  They 
had  even  availed  themselves  of  such  of  these  useful  an 
imals  as  fell  into  their  hands.  Several  of  them  were  seen 
mounted,  and  the  Inca  himself,  "  accoutred  in  the  European 
fashion,  rode  a  war-horse  which  he  managed  with  consider 
able  address,  and,  with  a  long  lance  in  his  hand,  led  on  his 
followers  to  the  attack."  There  are  bounds  to  the  phys 
ical  endurance  of  man  and  beast,  and  the  Spaniards  were 
obliged  to  submit  to  the  siege,  and  to  wait  until  assistance 
should  arrive  from  without,  or  until  the  enemy  should  be 
weary  of  keeping  watch  upon  them.  The  greatest  annoy 
ance  was  in  the  possession,  by  the  Indians,  of  the  great 
fortress,  from  the  high  towers  of  which  their  missiles  were 
hurled  with  deadly  effect  upon  all  within  reach. 

It  was  determined  to  storm  this  intrenchment,  and  the 
service  was  most  gallantly  performed.  Juan  Pizarro,  a 
cavalier  spoken  of  as  superior  to  either  of  his  brothers  in 
humanity,  lost  his  life  in  its  accomplishment.  The  Peru 
vian  commander,  after  defending  his  post  in  person,  with  the 
most  desperate  valor,  scorning  to  be  taken  prisoner,  threw 
himself  headlong  from  the  highest  tower,  and  perished. 

The  siege,  which  had  commenced  in  the  spring,  contin 
ued  until  August,  when,  after  months  of  anxiety  and  suf 
fering,  the  little  band  of  Spaniards  were  rejoiced  to  see  the 
Inca's  forces  taking  their  departure.  They  had  been  dis 
missed  by  their  leader  to  go  home  and  attend  to  the  neces 
sary  duties  of  husbandry.  Manco  intrenched  himself  at 
Tambo,  south  of  the  Yucay. 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  641 

The  rising  among  the  Peruvians  was  very  extensive  and 
well  concerted.  Great  numbers  of  detached  plantations 
and  settlements  were  destroyed,  and  their  Spanish  occu 
pants  slain.  Pizarro  made  several  ineffectual  attempts  to 
send  relief  to  the  garrison  at  Cuzco,  which  only  resulted 
in  heavy  loss  to  his  own  people.  A  general  feeling  of 
gloom,  apprehension,  and  discontent  prevailed,  and  not  a 
few  of  the  settlers,  at  Lima  and  elsewhere,  were  anxious 
to  abandon  the  country. 

Upon  the  return  of  Almagro  from  his  disastrous  expe 
dition  to  Chili,  and  his  seizure  of  Cuzco,  he  succeeded  in 
driving  the  Inca  from  Tambo  into  the  mountains,  where  he 
sought  out  a  solitary  place  of  concealment  until  opportunity 
should  offer  for  again  arousing  his  people  to  resistance. 

In  the  desolating  civil  wars  which  ensued  among  the 
rival  Spanish  claimants  of  the  country,  the  rights  and 
prosperity  of  the  native  inhabitants  were  utterly  disre 
garded.  They  were  unscrupulously  enslaved  and  mal 
treated  wherever  the  power  of  the  Spaniards  extended. 
In  the  distracted  state  of  the  country,  the  young  Inca 
again  renewed  his  efforts  at  resistance  to  his  subjects'  op 
pressors.  Sallying  from  time  to  time  from  an  encampment 
among  the  mountains,  between  Cuzco  and  the  sea-coast,  he 
did  no  little  injury  to  the  Spanish  settlements,  and  rendered 
travelling  unsafe,  except  in  large  and  well-armed  com 
panies.  Although  frequently  defeated  by  Pizarro's  troops, 
he  would  only  retire  to  meditate  fresh  attacks,  and  the 
Spanish  commander  finally  thought  it  advisable  to  open  a 
negotiation  with  him.  A  meeting  was  accordingly  ap- 
x  ointed  in  the  valley  of  the  Yucay,  but  the  attempts  at 
pa,  !fication  were  rendered  abortive  by  mutual  outrages. 
A  negro  messenger,  sent  by  Pizarro  to  the  Inca  with  a 
propitiatory  offering,  was  robbed  and  murdered  by  some  of 
the  natives.  The  Spanish  commander  chose  to  attribute 
the  act  to  Manco's  orders,  and  proceeded  to  retaliate  by 


642  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  dastardly  and  cruel  murder  of  a  young  and  beautiful 
wife  of  the  Inca,  who  was  a  prisoner  in  his  power.  She 
was  stripped  naked,  beaten,  and  afterwards  shot  with  ar 
rows.  This  cruelty  was  endured,  on  the  part  of  the  victim, 
with  true  Indian  fortitude.  What  a  strange  contradiction 
it  appears,  that  a  man  like  this,  with  his  dying  lips  (he 
was  assassinated  in  1541)  should  have  pronounced  the 
name  of  Him  whose  whole  teaching  and  example  breathed 
the  spirit  of  gentleness  and  mercy,  and  that  his  last  effort 
should  have  been  to  kiss  the  figure  of  the  cross,  drawn  by 
his  finger,  in  his  own  blood,  upon  the  floor. 

As  the  Spanish  population  of  the  country  increased,  the 
condition  of  the  Indians  became  more  and  more  wretched 
and  deplorable.  The  old  scenes  at  the  West  India  Islands 
were  reenacted,  and  the  brutal  populace  seemed  to  make 
cruelty  and  wanton  outrage  a  matter  of  emulation.  It 
was  not  enough  to  enslave  the  helpless  natives,  and  to 
compel  them  upon  insufficient  nourishment,  and  scantily 
clothed,  to  undergo  the  killing  labors  of  the  mines  and 
plantations ;  but  the  most  capricious  outrages  were  every 
where  committed.  They  were  hunted  with  dogs,  for 
the  sake  of  sport ;  all  that  they  esteemed  sacred  was 
desecrated ;  their  women  were  violated  in  the  most  shame 
less  manner  ;  and  cruel  tortures  and  death  awaited  him 
who  should  resist  the  oppressor,  or  invade  his  rights  of 
property ! 

One  of  the  most  notorious  abuses  in  the  system  of 
Spanish  government,  and  which  was  maintained  until  after 
the  insurrection  of  1781,  was  called  the  "  Repartimiento." 
This  was  a  compulsory  distribution  of  European  goods, 
which  the  natives  were  compelled  to  purchase  at  enormous 
prices.  "  The  law  was  doubtless  intended,"  it  is  said  by 
Tschudi,  "  in  its  origin,  for  the  advantage  and  convenience 
of  the  native  Indians,  by  supplying  them  with  necessaries 
at  a  reasonable  price.  But  subsequently  the  Repartimiento 


SOUTH    AMERICAN   INDIANS.  643 

became  a  source  of  oppression  and  fraud,  in  the  hands  of 
the  provincial  authorities." 

The  system  which  regulated  the  services  of  laborers  in 
the  mines  or  on  the  plantations  went  by  the  name  of  the 
"  Mita."  Those  Indians  who  were  placed,  by  the  operation 
of  this  species  of  conscription,  under  the  power  of  the  pro 
prietors  of  the  soil,  were  in  a  far  more  miserable  condition 
than  slaves  in  whom  the  master  has  a  property,  and  whose 
health  and  lives  he  has  an  interest  in  preserving.  Such  a 
miserable  pittance  as  was  doled  out  for  their  support,  and 
so  severe  and  unceasing  was  the  labor  required  at  their 
hands,  that  an  almost  incredible  number  perished.  "  Some 
writers  estimate  at  nine  millions  the  number  of  Indians 
sacrificed  in  the  mines  in  the  course  of  three  centuries." 

When,  by  the  intervention  of  Las  Casas,  the  wrongs  of 
the  Indians  received  attention  from  the  Spanish  court,  and 
extensive  provisions  were  made  for  their  freedom  and 
protection,  all  Peru  was  in  a  state  of  tumultuous  excite 
ment.  It  was  the  general  determination  not  to  submit  to 
such  an  infringement  of  the  luxuries  and  profits  of  life  in 
the  New  World,  as  that  of  placing  the  serfs  under  the  care 
of  the  laws.  In  the  midst  of  this  turmoil,  in  1544,  the 
brave  and  patriotic  Inca  was  slain  by  a  party  of  Span 
iards,  who  had  fled  to  his  camp  during  the  factious  disturb 
ances  by  which  the  European  settlements  were  convulsed. 
They  paid  the  forfeit  for  this  act  with  their  lives. 

The  first  effectual  steps  taken  in  behalf  of  the  wasted 
and  oppressed  Peruvians,*  were  under  the  viceroyalty  of 
Pedro  de  la  Gasca,  between  1547  and  1550.  By  his  ef 
forts,  a  careful  inquiry  was  instituted  into  the  condition 
of  the  slaves  ;  their  arbitrary  removal  from  their  native 
districts  was  prohibited ;  and,  above  all,  strict  regulations 
were  made,  and  —  not  without  strong  opposition  —  enforced, 
by  which  the  kind  and  amount  of  their  labor  was  precisely 
laid  down. 


INDIAN  KACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Tupac  Amaru,  a  son  of  Manco  Capac,  who  had  resided 
among  the  remote  mountain  districts  of  the  interior  since 
his  father's  death,  was  taken  prisoner  and  put  to  death 
during  the  period  that  Francisco  de  Toledo  was  viceroy 
of  Peru.  One  of  his  descendants,  Jose  Gabriel  Condor- 
canqui,  known  as  Tupac  Amaru  the  Second,  in  after-times 
fearfully  revenged  the  injuries  of  his  family  and  country 
men.  The  insurrection  which  he  headed  broke  out  in 
1781.  The  lapse  of  two  centuries  of  oppression  had  thin 
ned  the  teeming  population  of  Peru  in  a  ratio  scarcely 
precedented,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  European  weapons, 
and  military  skill,  both  of  which  they  had,  to  a  certain 
extent,  adopted,  rendered  them  dangerous  enemies,  and 
enough  of  the  old  patriotic  spirit  and  tradition  of  former 
glory  remained  to  afford  material  for  a  fearful  outbreak. 

The  long  depressed  and  humiliated  natives  rallied 
around  the  descendant  of  their  ancient  line  of  Incas  with 
the  greatest  enthusiasm,  and,  in  their  successful  attacks 
upon  various  provinces  where  Spanish  authority  had  been 
established,  proved  as  merciless  as  their  former  oppressors. 
Great  numbers  of  Spaniards  perished  during  this  rebellion, 
but  it  was  finally  crushed ;  and  the  Inca,  with  a  number  of 
his  family,  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Spanish  authori 
ties,  was  barbarously  put  to  death.  "They  were  all 
quartered,"  says  Bonnycastle,  "  in  the  city  of  Cuzco,  ex 
cepting  Diego,  (a  brother  of  Tupac,)  who  had  escaped. 
So  great  was  the  veneration  of  the  Peruvians  for  Tupac 
Amaru,  that  when  he  was  led  to  execution,  they  prostrated 
themselves  in  the  streets,  though  surrounded  by  soldiers, 
and  uttered  piercing  cries  and  exclamations  as  they  beheld 
the  last  of  the  Children  of  the  Sun  torn  to  pieces." 

Diego  also  perished  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner, 
twenty  years  afterwards,  upon  the  accusation  of  having 
instigated  a  revolt  which  occurred  in  Quito.  It  is  said 
that  the  insurrection  of  the  Indians  under  Tupac  Amaru  — 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS.  645 

the  last  important  effort  made  by  them  to  reestablish  their 
ancient  independence  —  cost  more  than  one  hundred  thou 
sand  lives. 

Since  the  great  revolutions  in  South  America,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  independence  of  the  Republics,  the 
Indian  population  of  Peru  have  made  no  trifling  advance. 
According  to  the  account  of  Dr.  Tschudi,  a  late  traveller 
in  the  country,  they  "  have  made  immense  progress.  Dur 
ing  the  civil  war,  which  was  kept  up  uninterruptedly  for 
the  space  of  twenty  years,  they  were  taught  military  ma 
noeuvres  and  the  use  of  fire-arms.  After  every  lost  battle, 
the  retreating  Indians  carried  with  them,  in  their  flight, 
their  muskets,  which  they  still  keep  carefully  concealed. 
They  are  also  acquainted  with  the  manufacture  of  gun 
powder,  of  which,  in  all  their  festivals,  they  use  great 
quantities  for  squibs  and  rockets." 

The  same  writer  describes  the  present  character  of  the 
race  as  gloomy  and  distrustful.  The,  Christian  religion 
has  been,  at  least  in  name,  almost  universally  diffused,  but 
the  observance  of  its  rites  is  mingled  with  many  relics  of 
the  ancient  superstitions  of  the  country,  while  the  bigotry, 
errors,  and  evil  example  of  too  many  of  those  who  have 
acted  as  its  ministers  could  hardly  result  in  the  inculcation 
of  the  true  spirit  of  their  faith.  During  the*  whole  period 
of  Spanish  authority,  from  the  time  of  the  first  landing, 
the  Catholic  ecclesiastics  were  unwearied  in  endeavors  to 
promulgate  their  religion.  Their  success  in  effecting  at 
least  an  outward  acceptation  of  its  doctrines,  has  been  no 
where  more  signal  than  in  South  America. 


THE  ARAUCANIAN  EACE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THEIR  LOCATION,  APPEARANCE,  ETC.  —  PURCHAS'  DESCRIPTION  OF 
CHILL  — DIVISION  OF  THE  TRIBES.  —  PERUVIAN  CONQUESTS.  —  AG 
RICULTURE,  ARTS,  ETC.,  AMONG  THE  NATIVES.  — ALMAGRO'S  INVA 
SION.  —  EXPEDITION  OF  PEDRO  DE  VALD1  VIA.  —  FOUNDING  OF  ST. 
JAGO.— BATTLES  WITH  THE  MAPOCHINIANS.  — DESTRUCTION  OF 
SPANISH  MINERS.  —  PEACE  WITH  THE  PROMAUCIANS. 

THE  different  tribes  belonging  to  this  bold  and  warlike 
race  inhabit  Chili  and  western  Patagonia,  commencing 
about  latitude  thirty  degrees,  and  extending  to  Terra  del 
Fuego.  The  Pecherais  of  that  island  have  also  been  classed 
in  the  same  family,  and  their  general  conformation  of  fig 
ure  and  features,  except  so  far  as  the  withering  influence 
of  cold  and  squalid  destitution  has  deteriorated  the  race, 
would  seem  to  warrant  the  conclusion  that  the  two  nations 
were  of  identical  origin. 

The  mountaineers  of  Chili  are  of  a  much  lighter  com 
plexion  than  the  aboriginal  nations  either  north  or  south 
of  them;  the  tribe  of  Boroanos  in  particular  have  been 
described  as  being  little,  if  any,  darker  than  Europeans. 
The  men  are  tall,  hardy,  and  vigorous,  with  exceedingly 
muscular  limbs  :  their  faces  are  broad,  and  their  features 
rather  heavy  and  coarse,  but  without  the  appearance  of 
stupidity  or  dulness  :  they  have  the  bright  eye  and  coarse 
black  hair  of  the  Indian.  Some  of  them  are  noticed  with 
heavy  beards,  but  generally  this  appendage  is  thin  and 

(646) 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  647 

scanty,  and  the  common  barbarous  custom  of  eradicating 
it  with  some  substitute  for  tweezer  is  resorted  to. 

Although  a  considerable  difference  is  observable  between 
the  inhabitants  of  the  mountains  and  the  plains,  in  size, 
complexion,  &c.,  yet  the  similarity  in  language  and  gen 
eral  appearance  is  considered  sufficient  to  warrant  the  con 
clusion  that  all  originally  sprung  from  the  same  stock. 

In  "Purchas  his  Pilgrimage,"  we  find  the  following 
quaint  description  of  the  physical  aspect  of  the  country  : 

"  It  is  called  Chili  of  the  chilling  cold,  for  so  the  word 
is  said  to  signify.  The  hills  with  their  high  looks,  cold 
blasts,  and  covetous  encroachings,  drive  it  almost  into  the 
sea :  only  a  narrow  valley  upon  lowly  submission  to  her 
swelling  adversaries,  obtaineth  room  for  five  and  twenty 
leagues  of  breadth,  where  it  is  most,  to  extend  her  spa 
cious  length  of  two  hundred  leagues  on  that  shore  :  and 
to  withstand  the  ocean's  fury,  she  pays  a  large  tribute 
of  many  streams,  which  yet  in  the  night  time  she  can 
hardly  perform  ;  the  miserable  hills,  in  their  frozen  char 
ity,  not  imparting  that  natural  bounty  and  duty,  till  that 
great  arbiter  the  sun  ariseth,  and  sendeth  day  with  his 
light-horse  troop  of  sunbeams  to  break  up  those  icy 
dungeons  and  snowy  turrets,  wherein  night,  the  moun 
tains'  jailer,  had  locked  the  innocent  waters.  Once,  the 
poor  valley  is  so  hampered  betwixt  the  tyrannical  meteors 
and  elements,  as  that  she  often  quaketh  with  fear, 
and  in  these  chill  fevers  shaketh  off  and  loseth  her  best 
ornaments. 

*  "And  sometimes  the  neighbor  hills  are  infected 
with  this  pestilent  fever,  and  tumble  down  as  dead  in  the 
plain,  thereby  so  amazing  the  fearful  rivers,  that  they  run 
quite  out  of  their  channels  to  seek  new,  or  else  stand  still 
with  wonder  ;  and  the  motive  heat  failing,  fall  into  an 
uncouth  tyrnpany,  their  bellies  swelling  into  spacious  and 
standing  lakes." 


648  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

When  the  western  coast  of  South  America  was  first 
visited  by  Europeans,  a  portion  of  Chili  was,  as  before- 
mentioned,  subject  to  the  Peruvian  monarchy.  The  Chi 
lian  tribes,  according  to  Molina,  were  fifteen  in  number, 
each  independent,  and  governed  by  its  Ulmen,  or  cacique. 
"These  tribes,  beginning  at  the  north,  and  proceeding  to 
the  south,  were  called  Copiapins,  Coquimbanes,  Quillo- 
tanes,  Mapochinians,  Promaucians,  Cures,  Cauques,  Pen- 
cones,  Araucanians,  Clinches,  Chilotes,  Chinquilanians, 
Pehuenches,  Puelches,  and  Huilliches."  The  first  four  of 
these,  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  were  re 
duced  by  the  Inca  Yupanqui,  without  much  opposition, 
but  the  Promaucians  opposed  so  vigorous  a  resistance  that 
the  progress  of  the  Peruvian  arms  was  effectually  stayed. 
The  conquered  provinces  were  allowed  to  retain  their  na 
tional  government  and  customs,  upon  payment  of  tribute 
to  the  Inca. 

The  Chilians  were,  at  this  early  period,  not  only  bold 
and  skilful  in  war,  but  had  made  much  greater  advances 
in  the  arts  of  civilization  than  any  other  South  American 
race  except  the  Peruvians.  The  country  was  too  popu 
lous  to  be  sustained  by  the  precarious  pursuits  of  hunting, 
fishing,  &c.,  and  a  rude  but  systematic  cultivation  of  the 
soil  had  become  universal.  The  vegetable  productions 
brought  under  cultivation  were  mostly  the  same  with  those 
used  in  Peru,  and  the  native  sheep  or  "  camel,"  was  domes 
ticated,  as  in  that  country.  This  animal  furnished  the 
wool  for  the  garments  of  those  who  inhabited  the  western 
valleys  —  the  wilder  races  of  the  east  and  south  were  clothed 
in  skins,  principally  of  the  guanaco,  a  species  of  wild  goat. 

Their  houses  were  generally  square,  built  of  brick,  or 
of  wood  plastered  with  clay,  and  thatched  with  rushes. 
Culinary  utensils  were  formed  of  stone,  wood,  or  earthen 
ware.  They  wrought,  with  some  skill,  in  the  usual  metallic 
productions  of  the  country,  using,  like  the  Peruvians,  a 


THE   ARAUCANIA^^RACE.  649 

hardened  alloy  of  copper,  with  other  metals,  as  a  substitute 
for  iron.  In  common  with  the  latter  nation,  a  system  of 
recording  events  or  statistics  by  the  "  quipu,"  was  all  that 
was  observable  as  analogous  to  the  art  of  writing. 

The  Promaucians,  whose  courage  and  patriotism  had  a 
century  before  checked  the  advance  of  the  royal  forces  of 
the  Inca,  were  found  no  less  formidable  by  the  first  Span 
ish  invaders.  Almagro,  after  his  frightful  passage  of  the 
Cordilleras,  in  which,  as  is  said,  he  lost  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Spaniards,  and  some  ten  thousand  Indian  allies,  was 
well  received  by  the  tributary  provinces  of  Chili.  He  col 
lected  no  small  booty  in  gold,  which  he  distributed  among 
his  followers,  and  continued  his  march  to  Coquimbo.  Here 
he  was  guilty  of  an  act  of  barbarity  too  common  wherever 
the  Spaniards  of  that  time  were  successful  in  their  Indian 
campaigns.  Two  of  his  soldiers  had  been  put  to  death  at 
Guasco,  in  consequence  of  some  acts  of  rapacity  or  vio 
lence,  and  in  revenge,  Almagro  seized  and  burned  alive 
the  chief  of  the  district,  with  his  brother  and  twenty  other 
of  the  native  inhabitants. 

Marching  into  the  province  of  the  Promaucians,  the 
Spaniards  found  an  enemy  superior  to  any  before  encoun 
tered.  Not  even  the  terrors  of  the  cavalry  and  weapons 
of  the  Europeans  could  daunt  the  brave  mountaineers,  who 
rallied  under  the  banners  of  their  chiefs  for  the  protection 
of  home  and  country.  A  single  battle  was  sufficient  to 
satisfy  the  invaders  that  little  was  to  be  gained  by  any 
further  advance,  and  Almagro,  with  his  troops,  returned 
to  Peru,  as  heretofore  related,  to  seize  upon  Cuzco  as 
being  contained  within  the  grant  made  to  him  by  the 
crown. 

In  1540,  Pedro  de  Valdivia,  a  bold  and  active  Spanish 
soldier,  and  high  in  the  confidence  of  Pizarro,  was  com 
missioned  to  lead  the  second  expedition  against  the  prov 
inces  of  Chili.  He  took  with  him  two  hundred  Spaniards 
37 


650  INDIAN  IACES  OP  AMERICA. 

and  a  large  body  of  Peruvians,  with  the  intent  of  forming 
a  colony  and  commencing  a  permanent  settlement.  Some 
of  the  domestic  animals  of  Europe  were  taken  for  use  of 
the  new  colony,  and  a  number  of  women  and  ecclesiastics 
were  added  to  the  company. 

Crossing  the  mountains  during  the  favorable  season  of 
summer,  Valdivia  entered  Chili,  but  found  on  his  arrival 
that  the  northern  tribes,  freed  from  the  yoke  of  the  Incas, 
were  disposed  to  reassert  their  former  independence.  The 
want  of  union,  however,  prevented  them  from  being  able 
to  stem  the  progress  of  the  Spaniards.  The  invader  pressed 
on,  crushing  all  opposition,  to  Mapocho,  the  province  where 
he  founded  the  city  of  St.  Jago. 

While  the  new  capital  was  in  progress  of  construction, 
the  natives  of  the  district  fell  boldly  upon  the  intruders, 
burned  their  buildings,  and  drove  them  into  a  fort  which 
they  had  constructed  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  The  Span 
iards  were  eventually  victorious  ;  but  the  spirit  of  the 
Mapochonians  was  not  broken,  and  for  years  afterwards 
they  continued  to  harass  the  settlers  in  every  possible 
manner.  The  opening  of  the  rich  mines  of  the  valley  of 
Quillota  reconciled  the  colonists  to  every  danger  and  pri 
vation  ;  and,  for  convenient  communication  with  Peru,  a 
vessel  was  built;  in  the  river  Chile,  which  flows  through 
that  district. 

Valdivia  now  sent  emissaries  to  Peru,  under  convoy  of 
thirty  mounted  men,  to  beat  up  for  recruits.  These  mes 
sengers  were  eight  in  number,  and,  as  a  bait  to  new  adven 
turers,  their  "  spurs,  bits,  and  stirrups  he  directed  to  be 
made  of  gold."  A  body  of  Copiapans  attacked  this  party 
on  their  route,  and  slew  all  except  two,  named  Alonzo 
Monroy  and  Pedro  Miranda,  whom  they  carried  to  their 
ulmen  or  cacique.  By  the  intervention  of  ^the  chiefs 
wife  their  lives  were  spared,  and  they  were  engaged  to 
teach  the  young  prince,  her  son,  the  art  of  riding.  The 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  651 

ungrateful  Spaniards  took  advantage  of  the  confidence 
placed  in  them,  to  murder  their  charge  and  escape  on  the 
horses.  They  succeeded  in  reaching  Peru,  and  procured  a 
considerable  number  of  adventurers  to  try  their  fortunes 
in  the  new  and  promising  regions  of  the  south. 

The  Chilians  did  not  quietly  submit  to  Spanish  en 
croachments.  The  inhabitants  of  Quillota,  by  an  artful 
stratagem,  drew  the  Spaniards  connected  with  the  mines 
into  an  ambuscade,  and  murdered  nearly  the  whole  num 
ber  ;  they  followed  up  their  advantage  by  burning  the 
military  stores  and  the  vessel  which  had  been  built  at  the 
river  Chile.  Valdivia  had  the  good  fortune  or  skill  to 
overawe  or  conciliate  the  Promaucians,  and  an  alliance 
was  formed  between  the  Spaniards  and  that  tribe. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  ARAUCANIANS  PROPER.  —  CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  OF  THE  TRIBE. 

—  HOUSES  AND  DRESS. —  SECTIONAL   DIVISIONS   AND   GOVERNMENT. 

—  SYSTEM    OF    WARFARE.  —  COURAGE    AND    MILITARY  SKILL.  —  RE 
LIGIOUS    BELIEF    AND    SUPERSTITIONS.  — PATRIOTISM   AND    PUBLIC 
SPIRIT  OF  THE  NATIVES.  —  MOLINA'S  EULOGIUM. 

PUSHING  his  conquests  and  acquisitions  further  to  the 
southward,  the  Spanish  commander,  in  1550,  founded  the 
city  of  Conception,  but  as  the  occupation  of  this  spot  led 
to  the  important  events  connected  with  the  Araucanian 
war,  we  will  follow  the  order  of  Molina,  and  give  a  brief 
account  of  the  warlike  people  with  whom  the  Spaniards 
were  now  to  contend. 

This  author  speaks  enthusiastically  of  the  noble  char 
acter  of  the  Araucanians,  their  physical  perfection,  and 
their  powers  of  endurance!,  He  says  "  they  are  intrepid/ 


652  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

animated,  ardent,  patient  in  enduring  fatigue,  ever  ready 
to  sacrifice  their  lives  in  the  service  of  their  country,  en 
thusiastic  lovers  of  liberty,  which  they  consider  as  an 
essential  constituent  of  their  existence,  jealous  of  their 
honor,  courteous,  hospitable,  faithful  to  their  engagements, 
grateful  for  services  rendered  them,  and  generous  and  hu 
mane  towards  the  vanquished."  Their  failings,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  "  drunkenness,  debauchery,  presumption, 
and  a  haughty  contempt- for  all  other  nations." 

The  district  of  Arauco,  from  which  the  nation  takes 
its  name,  is  but  a  small  province  of  the  country  inhab 
ited  by  the  race.  This  lies  in  the  beautiful  region  be 
tween  Conception  and  Valdivia,  extending  back  among 
the  mountains.  The  inhabitants  dwelt,  in  primitive  sim 
plicity,  congregated  in  no  large  towns,  but  thickly  scat 
tered  over  the  country  in  small  rural  villages.  Their 
domestic  and  household  arrangements  were  little  more 
refined  than  we  have  described  as  common  in  Chili.  Po 
lygamy  was  generally  practised,  and  "  the  size  of  their 
houses  proportioned  to  the  number  of  women  they  could 
maintain." 

They  wore  woollen  clothing,  woven  from  the  fleece  of 
the  native  sheep,  and  consisting  of  close  fitting  under  gar 
ments,  and  over  all  the  national  Poncho,  a  most  conve 
nient  and  easily-constructed  cloak,  especially  adapted  to 
the  use  of  horsemen.  The  women  wore  long  dresses,  with 
a  short  cloak,  both  fastened  with  ornamental  brooches  of 
silver. 

The  Araucanian  system  of  government  is  described  by 
Molina  as  being  an  hereditary  aristocracy.  The  country 
was  divided  from  north  to  south  into  four  sections,  the 
mountainous  region  at  the  east,  the  high  land  at  the  base 
of  the  Andes,  the  adjoining  plain,  and  the  sea-coast.  Each 
division  was  under  the  nominal  sway  of  a  Toqui,  or  su 
preme  cacique,  but  the  real  power  was  in  the  body  of  the 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  653 

nobility  or  Ulmenes,  who  presided  over  the  various  sub 
divisions  of  the  state,  and  who  decided  in  grand  council 
upon  public  matters.  Our  author  does  not  speak  very 
highly  of  the  judicial  institutions  of  the  country.  Much 
trouble  ensued  from  a  system  of  retaliation  by  which  minor 
offences  were  allowed  to  be  punished.  The  capital  crimes 
were  "  treachery,  intentional  homicide,  adultery,  the  rob 
bery  of  any  valuable  article,  and  witchcraft.  Neverthe 
less,  those  found  guilty  of  homicide  can  screen  themselves 
from  punishment  by  a  composition  with  the  relations  of 
the  murdered."  Each  father  of  a  family  assumed  and  ex 
ercised  absolute  power  over  his  wives  and  children,  and, 
by  the  custom  of  the  country,  he  was  not  responsible  even 
for  taking  their  lives. 

In  war,  as  among  the  ruder  North  American  tribes,  the 
direction  and  command  of  the  armies  was  not  conferred 
upon  the  supreme  civil  potentate,  unless  from  his  known 
skill  and  bravery  he  was  deemed  fully  competent.  A  war- 
chief  was  not  unusually  appointed  from  among  the  inferior 
officers,  and,  when  this  was  done,  an  absolute  dictatorship 
was  vested  in  the  chosen  leader. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  in  Chili,  the 
Araucanians  began  to  supply  themselves  with  horses. 
Those  which  they  obtained  in  battle  multiplied  to  an  im 
mense  extent,  and  the  native  inhabitants  speedily  acquired 
a  remarkable  degree  of  skill  in  their  training  and  manage 
ment.  Swords,  lances,  slings,  bows,  pikes,  and  clubs  were 
the  national  weapons. 

Such  skill  in  the  arts  of  war,  in  fortifications,  in  military 
regularity  and  discipline,  and  such  bravery  and  efficiency 
in  the  open  field,  as  was  evinced  by  the  Araucanians  in 
their  long  contests  with  the  Spaniards,  entirely  exceed  any 
thing  recorded  of  the  other  American  races. 

The  terrific  destruction  caused  by  artillery  failed  to  con 
fuse  or  appall  them.  In  the  words  of  Molina  :  "As  soon 


654  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

as  the  first  line  is  cut  down,  the  second  occupies  its  place, 
and  then  the  third,  until  they  finally  succeed  in  breaking 
the  front  ranks  of  the  enemy.  In  the  midst  of  their  fury, 
they  nevertheless  preserve  the  strictest  order,  and  perform 
all  the  evolutions  directed  by  their  officers.  The  most 
terrible  of  them  are  the  club-bearers,  who,  like  so  many 
Herculeses,  destroy  with  their  iron-pointed  maces  all  they 
meet  in  their  way." 

After  a  battle,  the  prisoners  taken  were  held  as  slaves 
•until  ransomed  or  exchanged  :  in  some  rare  instances  a 
single  captive  would  be  sacrificed.  This  was  done,  (with 
out  torture,)  after  the  performance  of  a  singular  prelimi 
nary  ceremonial.  The  victim  was  brought  forward  "  upon 
a  horse  deprived  of  his  ears  and  tail  —  as  a  mark  of  igno 
miny."  The  proper  officers  then  handed  him  a  pointed 
stake,  and  a  number  of  small  sticks.  He  was  compelled 
to  dig  a  hole  in  the  earth  with  the  stake  ;  and  to  throw  the 
sticks  severally  into  it  ;  naming,  at  each  cast,  one  of  the 
most  renowned  chiefs  of  his  own  country,  "  while,  at  the 
same  time,  the  surrounding  soldiers  loaded  these  abhorred 
names  with  the  bitterest  execrations."  After  he  had  been 
forced  to  cover  the  hole  "  as  if  to  bury  therein  the  repu 
tation  and  valor  of  their  enemies,"  some  one  of  the  prin 
cipal  chiefs  destroyed  the  captive  by  the  blow  of  a  war-club. 
His  heart,  it  is  said,  was  then  taken  out,  and  a  little  blood 
sucked  from  it  by  the  officers  standing  around ;  after 
which,  the  body  was  dismembered,  the  bones  were  used 
for  flutes,  and  the  skull,  (if  not  cracked,)  served  for  a 
drinking  vessel. 

All  this  sounds  excessively  barbarous,  but  Molina  tells 
us  that  only  one  or  two  instances  of  the  kind  occurred 
during  a  period  of  nearly  two  hundred  years. 

The  religious  belief  of  the  Araucanians  appears  to  have 
borne  a  strong  resemblance  to  that  of  many  North  Amer 
ican  tribes.  The  idea  of  a  supreme  being  ;  of  good  and 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  655 

evil  spirits,  especially  one  great  demon  named  Guecubu ; 
of  a  future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments,  and  the  im 
mortality  of  the  soul,  were  universal.  A  vast  number  of 
superstitious  signs  and  omens,  some  of  them  singularly 
analogous  to  those  of  ancient  European  nations,  were  drawn 
from  earthquakes,  storms,  the  flight  of  birds,  and  other 
natural  phenomena. 

Each  person  believed  himself  under  the  special  care  of 
a  guardian  angel,  or  familiar  spirit,  to  whose  aid  and  in 
fluence  success  in  any  pursuit  was  generally  inferred.  The 
Catholic  missionaries  were  received  with -respect  and  kind 
ness,  but  owing  to  a  natural  phlegm  or  indifference  to  such 
abstractions,  they  met  with  but  little  success  in  their  efforts 
at  promulgating  their  doctrines. 

The  tradition  of  a  deluge,  so  universally  spread  through 
out  the  world,  was  current  among  these  Indians,  and  in 
many  other  respects  analogies,  whether  casual  or  not,  could 
be  traced  between  their  belief  and  observances  and  those 
of  the  old  world.  The  ceremonies  and  fanciful  conceptions 
connected  with  the  sepulture  of  the  dead,  if  correctly  re 
ported,  are  not  unlike  many  of  those  recorded  of -the 
ancients. 

Besides  the  compound  of  sorcerer  and  physician,  whose 
services  were  required  by  the  sick,  as  in  every  other  part 
of  America  when  the  country  was  first  discovered,  the 
Araucanians  had  medical  professors  who  made  no  preten 
sions  to  supernatural  powers.  These  are  said  to  have 
possessed  considerable  skill  in  the  diagnosis  of  diseases, 
and  in  the  administration  of  simple  remedies.  Others  de 
voted  their  attention  to  the  treatment  of  broken  limbs  and 
ulcers,  which  they  accomplished  with  no  small  success. 

Among  the  peculiarities  of  national  character  observable 
in  the  race  the  most  prominent  has  ever  been  an  indomita 
ble  spirit  of  patriotism,  and  a  pride  in  their  own  country 
and  usages,  leading  to  a  supreme  contempt  for  all  other 


656  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

nations.  They  regard  their  own  race  as  one  vast  brother 
hood,  every  member  of  which  is  bound  to  assist  and  befriend 
his  neighbor.  Molina  says:  "  The  benevolence  and  kind 
ness  with  which  these  people  treat  each  other  is  really  sur 
prising.  *  *  From  the  mutual  affection  which  subsists 
between  them,  proceeds  their  solicitude  reciprocally  to  as 
sist  each  other  in  their  necessities.  Not  a  beggar  or  an 
indigent  person  is  to  be  found  throughout  the  whole  Arau- 
canian  territory;  even  the  most  infirm  and  incapable  of 
subsisting  themselves  are  decently  clothed. 

"  This  benevolence  is  not,  however,  confined  wholly  to 
their  own  countrymen ;  they  conduct  with  the  greatest 
hospitality  towards  all  strangers,  of  whatever  nation,  and  a 
traveller  may  live  in  any  part  of  their  country  without  the 
least  expense." 

The  above  account  is  probably  rather  highly  colored  ;  in 
deed,  this  author  has  been  accused  of  no  little  exaggeration 
in  his  comments  upon  Araucanian  civilization.  Nothing  is 
more  common  than  for  a  writer  to  be  carried  away  by  his 
subject ;  the  biographer  almost  universally  deifies  his  hero, 
and  the  historian  of  a  particular  nation  is  but  too  apt  to  fall 
into  a  similar  error. 

In  their  houses  and  persons,  the  Araucanians  have  been 
described  as  standing  in  agreeable  contrast  with  most  of 
the  aboriginal  Americans,  by  a  most  remarkable  cleanli 
ness.  In  this  respect  they  might  well  rival,  if  not  surpass, 
the  most  polished  society  of  Europe. 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  657 


CHAPTER    III. 

ARMY  SENT  TO  OPPOSE  THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  SPANIARDS.  —  BATTLE 
ON  THE  AND  ALIEN.  —  LINCOYAN'S  CAMPAIGN.  —  VALDIVIA'S  MARCH 
SOUTHWARD.  —  FOUNDATION  OF  VALDIVIA,  AND  ESTABLISHMENT 
OF  FORTS  IN  THE  ARAUCANIAN  TERRITORY.  —  THE  NATIVES  ROUSED 
BY  COLOCOLO.  —  CAUPOLICAN  MADE  TOClUI.  —  HIS  SUCCESSES.  — 
GREAT  VICTORY  OVER  THE  SPANIARDS.  —  DEATH  OF  VALDIVIA.  — 
INVASION  OF  ARAUCO  BY  VILLAGRAN.  —  HIS  DEFEAT.  —  DESTRUC 
TION  OF  CONCEPTION.  —  LAUTARO'S  FATAL  EXPEDITION  AGAINST 
SANTIAGO. 

IN  order  to  check  the  advance  of  the  Spaniards,  the 
Araucanians  determined  not  to  await  an  actual  invasion 
of  their  own  territory,  but  to  cross  the  river  Bio-bio,  which 
formed  the  boundary  of  their  country,  and  attack  them  in 
force  at  their  quarters  in  the  adjoining  province  of  Penco. 
The  great  cacique  or  Toqui,  Aillavilu,  with  several  thou 
sand  warriors,  was  commissioned  for  this  service.  The 
Spanish  army  was  encountered  on  the  banks  of  the  An- 
dalien,  and,  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  American 
conquest,  experienced  the  power  of  an  enemy  little  infe 
rior  in  skill,  and  fully  equal  in  courage  and  determination 
to  the  trained  soldiery  of  Europe. 

The  Indians  fought  with  desperate  valor,  regardless  of 
the  murderous  effect  of  the  Spanish  fire-arms  ;  but  their 
leader  Aillavilu,  rashly  exposing  himself  in  the  hottest  of 
the  engagement,  was  slain,  and  his  followers  made  an  or 
derly  retreat,  unpursued  by  the  Spaniards.  To  secure  him 
self  against  future  danger,  Valdivia  at  once  erected  a  strong 
fort  near  his  newly-founded  city  of  Conception.  This  was 
in  1551,  and  in  the  following  year  the  bold  mountaineers 
of  the  south  determined  upon  another  great  effort  to  dis 
lodge  the  dangerous  colony. 


658  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

One  Lincoyan,  an  Ulmen  of  huge  stature  and  imposing 
appearance,  was  created  commander  of  the  armies.  In 
three  bodies  the  Araucanians  fell  upon  the  Spaniards,  and 
drove  them  within  the  fort.  Hopeless  of  effecting  any 
thing  against  this  stronghold,  Lincoyan  drew  off  his  forces  : 
he  is,  indeed,  accused  by  historians  of  a  degree  of  irresolu 
tion  and  timidity  unworthy  of  his  race. 

Valdivia,  left  in  undisturbed  possession  of  his  new  ter 
ritories,  went  on  with  the  work  of  building  his  city,  and 
strengthening  his  position.  In  1552  he  felt  sufficient  con 
fidence  in  the  number  of  his  followers,  augmented  by  fresh 
arrivals  from  Peru,  to  undertake  active  operations  against 
the  Araucanians.  Lincoyan  was  still  in  command,  and  his 
efforts  failed  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  invaders,  who 
pressed  on  to  the  river  Cauten,  in  the  heart  of  the  hostile 
territory.  Here  Valdivia  laid  the  first  foundations  of  the 
future  city  Imperial,  and  sent  Alderete,  one  of  his  officers, 
to  commence  the  formation  of  a  settlement  by  the  lake  of 
Lauquen. 

From  this  point  the  Spanish  commander  made  his  way 
to  the  southern  border  of  the  Araucanian  territory,  where 
the  river  Caliacalla  divided  it  from  that  of  the  Clinches, 
experiencing  little  opposition  from  the  vacillating  arid  cau 
tious  Lincoyan.  The  Cunches,  in  great  force,  were  pre 
pared  to  oppose  his  entry  into  their  domains ;  but,  accord 
ing  to  the  accounts  handed  down  to  us,  they  were  persuaded 
to  lay  aside  their  purpose,  by  a  native  woman,  named  E-e- 
cloma.  Valdivia  was  therefore  enabled  to  cross  the  river 
in  safety,  and  to  found  a  city  upon  its  southern  bank,  upon 
which  he  bestowed  his  own  family  name. 

On  his  return,  in  1553,  he  erected  forts  in  the  provinces 
of  Puren,  Tucapel  and  Arauco.  These  operations  \vere 
not  carried  on  without  hostilities  with  the  natives  ;  but,  in 
consequence,  as  is  said,  of  the  inefficiency  of  the  military 
chief  at  their  head,  all  their  efforts  were  unsuccessful,  and 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  659 

the  Spaniards  were  beginning  to  despise  the  power  of  an 
enemy  who  was  in  after-times  to  prove  invincible. 

Valdivia  retired  to  Conception,  from  which  town  he 
sent  forth  expeditions  in  various  directions,  forming  mag 
nificent  plans  for  the  entire  occupation  of  the  surrounding 
country.  He  anticipated  little  further  resistance  on  the 
part  of  the  inhabitants,  but  while  he  was  indulging  these 
hopes,  and  pondering  new  schemes  of  conquest,  an  influ 
ence  was  at  work  to  counteract  his  efforts  and  restore  the 
native  independence.  Colocolo,  an  old  cacique  of  Arauco, 
set  himself  in  earnest  to  rouse  up  the  whole  nation  to 
resistance.  He  visited  province  after  province,  pointing 
out  the  dangers  of  the  supine  course  of  Lincoyan,  and 
urging  the  appointment  of  some  more  capable  and  ener 
getic  leader. 

A  meeting  of  the  Ulmenes  was  called,  after  the  usual 
manner,  in  an  open  plain,  and  the  merits  of  various  rival 
candidates  for  the  office  of  Toqui  were  stormily  discussed. 
It  was  at  last  concluded  to  leave  the  decision  with  Colocolo, 
who  fixed  upon  a  chief  not  before  brought  forward ;  Cau- 
polican,  Ulmen  of  Pilmayquen. 

The  new  general  commenced  operations  against  the 
Spanish  fort  in  Arauco.  Having  taken  prisoners  a  body 
of  eighty  Indians,  who  had  been  sent  out  by  the  garrison 
to  gather  forage,  he  put  an  equal  number  of  his  own  war 
riors  in  charge  of  the  supplies,  with  their  arms  concealed 
among  the  bundles  of  grass  or  hay.  These  were  admitted 
without  suspicion  into  the  fort,  when,  grasping  their 
weapons,  they  attacked  the  Spaniards  with  inconceivable 
fury.  Caupolican  did  not  arrive  quite  soon  enough,  with 
his  army,  to  take  advantage  of  the  confusion  which  ensued. 
As  he  came  up,  his  brave  company  was  driven  out,  the 
draw-bridge  was  raised,  and  the  garrison  stationed  to  de 
fend  the  walls.  He  therefore  invested  the  place,  and,  cut 
ting  off  all  supplies,  compelled  the  Spaniards  to  evacuate 


660  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

it.  This  was  accomplished  without  loss,  by  taking  their 
departure  under  cover  of  night :  "  at  midnight  they  mount 
ed  their  horses,  and,  suddenly  opening  the  gate,  rushed  out 
at  full  speed,  and  escaped  through  the  midst  of  their  ene 
mies  ;  the  Araucanians,  who  supposed  it  to  be  one  of  their 
customary  sallies,  taking  no  measures  to  obstruct  their 
flight." 

Following  up  his  advantage  Caupolican  reduced  the  fort 
at  Tucapel,  and  encamped  at  that  place  to  await  the  ap 
proach  of  the  Spanish  army.  Valdivia,  according  to  the 
expectation  of  the  Toqui,  promptly  collected  his  forces 
for  a  grand  struggle  with  the  natives.  The  numbers  of 
the  respective  armies  are  not  certainly  known ;  but  it  ap 
pears  probable  that  there  were  several  hundred  Spaniards, 
accompanied  by  ten  times  their  number  of  Indian  auxilia 
ries,  while  the  Araucanian  forces  are  set  down  at  nine  or 
ten  thousand.  As  he  neared  the  enemies'  camp,  the  Span 
ish  general  sent  forward  ten  mounted  men  under  Diego  del 
Oro,  on  a  scout.  These  were  surrounded  and  cut  off  by 
the  Indians,  and  their  heads  were  hung  upon  trees  in  sight 
of  the  advancing  troops. 

It  was  upon  the  3d  of  December,  1553,  that  the  grand 
engagement  took  place.  It  was  no  ordinary  Indian  skir 
mish,  in  which,  if  the  natives  could  be  dislodged  from 
covert,  their  discomfiture  was  certain,  but  a  pitched  battle, 
depending  no  less  upon  military  skill  in  the  manoeuvres 
of  the  different  battalions  than  upon  individual  courage 
and  determination.  The  Spaniards  were,  it  is  true,  greatly 
outnumbered,  but  they  had,  on  the  other  hand,  the  im 
mense  advantage  of  fire-arms  and  other  European  weap 
ons,  with  which  they  had  so  long  been  accustomed  to 
scatter  the  hordes  of  rudely-equipped  savages  who  opposed 
them. 

The  Araucanians  appeared  utterly  reckless  of  life :  line 
after  line  would  be  swept  away  by  cannon  and  musketry, 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  661 

but  fresh  bodies  were  ready,  at  the  word  of  command,  to 
rush  into  the  dangerous  breach.  Molina  describes  the  re 
sult  as  follows  :  "  Three  times  they  retired  in  good  order 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  musketry,  and,  as  often,  resuming 
new  vigor,  returned  to  the  attack.  At  length,  after  the 
loss  of  a  great  number  of  their  men,  they  were  thrown 
into  disorder,  and  began  to  give  way.  Caupolican,  Tuca- 
pel  (one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  their  generals),  and 
the  old,  intrepid  Colocolo,  who  was  present  in  the  action, 
in  vain  attempted  to  prevent  their  flight  and  reanimate 
their  courage.  The  Spaniards  shouted  victory,  and  furi 
ously  pressed  upon  the  fugitives. 

"  At  this  momentous  crisis,  a  young  Araucanian,  of  but 
sixteen  years  of  age,  called  Lautaro,  whom  Valclivia,  in 
one  of  his  incursions,  had  taken  prisoner,  baptized  and 
made  his  page,  quitted  the  victorious  party,  began  loudly 
to  reproach  his  countrymen  with  their  cowardice,  and 
exhorted  them  to  continue  the  contest,  as  the  Spaniards, 
wounded  and  spent  with  fatigue,  were  no  longer  able  to  re 
sist  them.  At  the  same  time,  grasping  a  lance,  he  turned 
against  his  late  master,  crying  out,  '  Follow  me,  my  coun 
trymen  !  victory  courts  us  with  open  arms.' ' 

Such  resolution  and  courage  on  the  part  of  a  boy  roused 
the  fugitives  to  new  exertions,  and  turned  the  scale  of 
battle.  The  Spanish  force  was  entirely  destroyed  —  of  the 
whole  army,  it  is  said  that  only  two  Indians  escaped. 
Valdivia  was  taken  alive,  and  brought  into  the  presence 
of  the  Toqui.  Caupolican  seemed  disposed  to  favor  the 
captive  general,  but  an  old  officer,  standing  by,  "  enraged 
to  hear  them  talk  of  sparing  his  life,  despatched  the  unfor 
tunate  prisoner  with  a  blow  of  his  club." 

A  more  fanciful  tale  of  the  manner  of  Yaldivia's  death 
obtained  some  credence  :  Purchas  makes  mention  of  it  as  fol 
lows  in  his  synopsis  of  Chilian  conquests  and  colonization  : 

"  In   six  and   thirty    degrees  is   that    famous  valley  of 


662  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Arauco,  which  defend  their  persons  and  freedom,  maugre 
all  the  force  and  fury  of  the  Spaniards.  *  They  have 
destroyed  many  of  the  Spaniards  :  they  took  the  city 
Baldivia  in  the  year  1599,  and  slew  the  Spaniards. 
Twice  before,  if  not  oftener,  they  had  burnt  and  spoiled  it. 
Yea,  Baldivia  himself,  the  first  conqueror  of  Chili  (for 
Almagro  staid  not),  and  of  whom  that  city  received 
name,  was  taken  by  these  Indians,  his  horse  being  slain 
under  him.  They  bid  him  fear  nothing,  he  should  have 
gold  enough  :  and  making  a  great  banquet  for  him,  brought 
in  the  last  service,  which  was  a  cup  full  of  molten  gold, 
which  they  forced  him  to  drink,  saying,  Now  glut  thy 
self  with  gold.  This  Baldivia  had  entered  Chili  with  four 
hundred  horse,  and  easily  conquered  that  part  which  had 
been  subject  to  the  kings  of  Peru;  but  the  other,  which 
was  the  richer  part,  held  out." 

To  proceed  with  the  more  authentic  narrative,  Lautaro 
was  immediately  raised  to  the  highest  subordinate  rank  in 
the  army,  being  made  "  lieutenant-general  extraordinary," 
and  the  whole  country  resounded  with  his  praise. 

When  news  of  the  fatal  overthrow  of  Valdivia  reached 
the  Spanish  settlements,  the  inhabitants  abandoned  Vil- 
larica,  Puren,  and  other  minor  establishments,  retreating 
for  safety  within  the  walls  of  Valdivia  and  Imperial. 
These  two  places  were  invested  by  Caupolican  in  force, 
while  the  gallant  young  Lautaro  was  intrusted  with  the 
defence  of  the  mountain  pass  by  which  succors  from  the 
north  would  probably  arrive. 

In  accordance  with  directions  left  by  Valdivia  for  the 
conduct  of  the  government  in  the  event  of  his  death,  the 
office  of  governor  devolved  upon  Francis  Villagran.  Im 
mediately  upon  assuming  command,  this  officer  made  ar 
rangements  for  another  invasion  of  Arauco. 

He  found  Lautaro  with  his  division  prepared  to  oppose 
his  entrance  into  the  province.  An  advanced  body  of 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  663 

natives  was  driven  in  by  the  Spaniards,  after  some  hours 
of  hard  fighting,  and  the  invaders  pressed  up  the  moun 
tain  path  to  the  spot  where  the  young  commander  was 
posted.  "  This  mountain,"  says  Molina,  "  which  on  sev 
eral  occasions  has  proved  fatal  to  the  Spaniards,  has  on 
its  summit  a  large  plain,  interspersed  with  shady  trees. 
Its  sides  are  full  of  clefts  and  precipices,  on  the  part 
towards  the  west  the  sea*  beats,  with  great  violence,  and 
the  east  is  secured  by  impenetrable  thickets.  A  winding 
by-path  on  the  north  was  the  only  road  that  led  to  the 
summit  of  the  mountain." 

Villagran  had  six  pieces  of  artillery,  which  he  succeeded 
in  bringing  to  bear,  with  effect,  upon  the  Indians,  while  his 
musketeers  poured  continual  volleys  among  their  crowded 
ranks.  By  the  orders  of  Lautaro,  a  select  body  of  war 
riors  charged  the  battery,  and  took  possession  of  every 
cannon.  This  decided  the  fortune  of  the  day  ;  the  Span 
iards  and  their  allies  were  driven  down  the  mountain  in 
hopeless  confusion,  pursued  by  the  victorious  natives.  To 
add  to  their  difficulties,  they  found  their  retreat  cut  off  by 
a  barricade  of  logs.  But  a  handful  of  the  number  survived 
to  carry  the  heavy  news  to  Conception. 

The  city  was  immediately  deserted,  as  incapable  of 
defence  ;  the  women,  children,  and  old  men,  were  shipped 
on  board  the  vessels  in  the  harbor,  to  be  carried  to  Val 
paraiso  and  Imperial,  while  Villagran,  with  the  able-bodied 
men,  took  up  his  march  for  Santiago. 

The  Araucanians  plundered  and  destroyed  the  aban 
doned  city  without  opposition.  The  hurried  departure  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  their  insufficient  means  of  conveyance, 
prevented  the  removal  of  much  accumulated  treasure,  which 
consequently  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 

Villagran,  as  soon  as  practicable,  sent  reinforcements  to 
the  besieged  cities  of  Valdivia  and  Imperial,  upon  which 
Caupolican  drew  off  his  forces,  leaving  the  Spaniards  to 


664  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

lay  waste  the  surrounding  country.  A  worse  enemy  than 
the  European  invaders,  at  this  time,  desolated  the  Indian 
territories  :  that  terrible  disease  the  small-pox  was  commu 
nicated  to  the  natives  by  some  infected  Spanish  soldiers, 
and,  as  usual  among  a  people  unacquainted  with  its  pecu 
liarities,  spread  far  and  wide,  producing  a  fearful  mortality. 

In  the  year  1555,  the  Court  of  the  Royal  Audience,  at 
Lima,  in  settling  various  disputed  questions  connected 
with  Spanish  government  in  Chili,  directed  Villagran  to 
rebuild  the  city  of  Conception.  A  colony  was  accordingly 
transported  thither,  and  a  strong  fort  was  erected.  This 
spot,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  to  be  northward  of  the 
Bio-bio,  and  without  the  Araucanian  territory  ;  but,  at  the 
request  of  the  native  inhabitants,  an  army  of  about  two 
thousand  men,  under  Lautaro,  was  sent  to  annihilate  the 
growing  settlement. 

The  young  chieftain  was  a  second  time  completely  suc 
cessful.  The  Spaniards  were  slain,  or  driven  to  seek  safety 
in  their  vessels,  or  by  flight  through  the  wilderness,  and 
the  buildings  were  again  plundered  and  razed. 

Flushed  with  success,  Lautaro  now  determined,  with 
only  six  hundred  warriors,  to  march  a  distance  of  some 
three  hundred  miles,  and  attack  the  town  of  Santiago. 
At  the  same  time,  Caupolican  again  laid  siege  to  Valdivia 
and  Imperial.  Lautaro  pursued  his  march  peaceably 
until  he  reached  Promaucia,  where  he  revenged  his  coun 
try  upon  the  treacherous  allies  of  the  Spaniards  by  ravag 
ing  and  laying  waste  the  district.  This  course  of  proceed 
ing  has  been  pronounced  grossly  impolitic,  as  by  concilia 
tion  and  kindness  he  might  have  secured  friends  where  he 
now  left  behind  him  implacable  enemies. 

Instead  of  making  an  instantaneous  attack  upon  the 
city,  Lautaro  deemed  it  more  prudent  to  erect  a  fort  to 
which  he  might  retreat,  and  where  he  might,  at  his  leisure, 
reconnoitre  the  enemy's  strongholds,  and  choose  his  own 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  665 

time  for  assault  or  surprise.  He  therefore  posted  himself 
on  the  banks  of  the  Claro.  Repeated  attempts  were  made 
by  the  Spaniards  to  dislodge  him,  but  again  and  again  they 
were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  The  conduct  of  these 
sorties  were  intrusted  to  Pedro  Villagran,  son  of  the  gov 
ernor,  the  old  chief  himself  being  at  the  time  disabled  by 
sickness. 

Upon  his  recovery,  the  veteran  took  with  him  an  army 
of  about  two  hundred  Spaniards,  with  a  thousand  Indians, 
and  marched,  with  great  secrecy  and  caution,  for  Lautaro's 
camp.  He  succeeded  in  surprising  the  enemy,  and  gained 
a  complete  victory.  The  attack  was  made  just  at  the 
dawn  of  day,  when  the  Indians  were  totally  unprepared  : 
they  fought  with  their  usual  desperation,  and,  after  all 
hope  of  resistance  was  at  an  end,  sternly  refused  to  sur 
render.  t(  In  vain,"  says  Molina,  "  the  Spanish  commander 
repeatedly  offered  them  quarter.  *  *  The  Araucanians 
perished  to  the  last  man,  and  fought  with  such  obstinacy 
that  they  sought  for  death  by  throwing  themselves  on  the 
lances  of  their  enemies."  , 

Lautaro  was  slain  by  a  dart  in  the  very  first  of  the  melde. 
This  was  in  1556,  and  the  brave  and  celebrated  chief  was 
consequently  but  nineteen  years  of  age.  His  death  was 
universally  lamented ;  even  the  Spaniards,  while  exult 
ing  in  the  prospect  of  future  safety,  opened  to  them  by  his 
death,  both  felt  and  expressed  the  most  enthusiastic  admi 
ration  for  his  noble  character  and  distinguished  talents. 
Caupolican,  hearing  of  the  melancholy  issue  of  Lautaro's 
expedition,  raised  the  siege  of  Imperial,  and  repaired  to 
the  northern  frontiers. 
38 


666  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

DON  GARCIA  DE  MENDOZA ;  HIS  ESTABLISHMENT  AT  QUIRIQUINA.  — 
FORT  ON  MOUNT  PINTO  ATTACKED  BY  CAUPOLICAN.  —  DON  GARCIA's 
INVASION  OF  ARAUCO;  HIS  CRUELTIES. —  EXPEDITION  TO  CHILOE. 

—  ARTFUL   MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  CUNCHES.  — SEIZURE  AND  CRUEL 
DEATH   OF  CAUPOLICAN.—  SUBSEQUENT   SUCCESSES  OF   THE   SPAN 
IARDS. —RETREAT  OF  THE  NATIVES  TO  THE  MARSHES  OF  LUMACO. 

—  INDIAN   VICTORY   AT   MOUNT    MARIGUENU.  — GENERAL   SUMMARY 
OF   SUCCEEDING   HOSTILITIES. 

IN  the  month  of  April,  1557,  Don  Garcia  de  Mendoza, 
upon  whom  had  been  conferred  the  office  of  Spanish  vice 
roy  at  Chili,  arrived  at  the  harbor  of  Conception,  with  a 
large  force  of  infantry  and  abundant  muniments  of  war. 
He  first  established  himself  upon  the  island  of  Quinquina, 
and  sent  messages  to  the  Araucanian  authorities  express 
ing  a  desire  for  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  peace. 
Caupolican,  with  the  concurrence  of  his  council,  sent  one 
Millalauco  'to  confer  with  the  Spanish  commandant,  espe 
cially  charging  him  to  note  with  great  accuracy  the  num 
bers  and  resources  of  the  troops.  Nothing  but  general 
expressions  of  amity  and  desire  for  tranquillity  resulted 
from  the  conference,  and  Millalauco  returned  with  full 
reports  to  Caupolican.  The  Toqui  was  immediately  upon 
the  alert,  and  made  every  preparation  for  obtaining  instant 
information  of  the  enemy's  movements,  and  for  opposing 
any  establishment  upon  the  main  land. 

In  the  month  of  August,  Don  Garcia  landed  a  detach 
ment  in  the  night,  and  secured  the  position  of  Mount 
Pinto,  overlooking,  the  plain  and  harbor.  Here  a  fort  was 
constructed,  surrounded  by  a  ditch,  and  defended  by  artil 
lery.  Only  four  days  from  the  time  of  landing,  the  Arau 
canian  chief,  with  a  large  army,  attacked  the  fort. 


THE    ARAUCANIAN    RACE.  667 

Filling  the  ditch  with  logs  and  fascines,  the  assailants, 
in  the  face  of  a  murderous  fire,  made  desperate  efforts  to 
scale  the  walls.  Many  succeeded,  and  threw  themselves 
into  the  enclosure,  willing  to  meet  certain  destruction  that 
they  might  have  a  brief  opportunity  for  wreaking  their 
long- cherished  vengeance  upon  the  Spaniards.  Prodigies 
are  related  of  the  personal  exploits  of  Tucapel,  who  en 
couraged  this  audacity  by  his  own  example,  but  whcv 
unlike  his  companions,  succeeded  in  forcing  his  way  back. 
After  killing,  as  is  said,  "  four  of  his  enemies  with  his 
formidable  mace,  he  escaped  by  leaping  over  a  precipice, 
amidst  a  shower  of  balls." 

Reinforcements  were  sent  over  from  the  island,  and 
Caupolican  was  obliged  to  draw  off  his  forces,  leaving  his 
purpose  unaccomplished.  The  arrival,  shortly  after,  of  a 
great  force  of  Spanish  cavalry  and  Indian  auxiliaries,  by 
sea,  rendered  a  repetition  of  the  attempt  hopeless. 

Thus  strengthened,  Don  Garcia  soon  commenced  offen 
sive  operations.  He  crossed  the  Bio-bio  unopposed,  and 
engaged  the  Araucanian  army,  a  short  distance  beyond. 
The  natives,  notwithstanding  every  exertion,  and  the  dis 
play  of  a  rash  valor  never  surpassed,  were  driven  off  with 
terrible  loss. 

Cruelty  and  barbarity  unlike  any  thing  before  known  in 
Chili,  now  marked  the  success  of  the  conqueror.  He  cut 
off  the  hands  of  a  prisoner  named  Galverino,  who  had 
been  a  noted  warrior,  and  sent  him  to  his  friends  as  a 
warning  of  what  was  in  store  for  them  :  other  captives  he 
subjected  to  cruel  tortures  in  order  to  extort  information  as 
to  their  general's  plans  and  places  of  retreat,  but  their  for 
titude  was  proof  against  all  the  suffering  he  could  inflict. 

Caupolican  soon  rallied  his  forces  for  another  battle, 
which  was  more  obstinately  contested  even  than  the  first ; 
but  the  result  was  the  same  —  the  superiority  in  weapons, 
and  the  efficiency  of  the  cavalry  securing  success  to  the 


668  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Spaniards.  The  mutilated  Galverino,  again  taken  prisoner, 
was  hanged,  with  twelve  of  the  native  Ulmenes. 

Marching  into  the  district  of  Tucapel,  Don  Garcia 
founded  the  city  of  Canete  upon  the  spot  of  Valdivia's 
former  discomfiture.  A  strong  fort  was  there  built  and 
garrisoned,  and  the  command  intrusted  to  one  Alonzo 
Heynoso,  after  which  the  conqueror  returned  in  triumph  to 
Imperial.  From  this  town  he  sent  large  numbers  of 
Spaniards  to  assist  in  the  defence  and  establishment  of  the 
new  city.  On  the  route,  these  settlers  were  furiously  at 
tacked  by  the  natives,  but  after  suffering  some  loss  in  men 
and  stores,  they  effected  an  entrance  into  the  fortification. 
Caupolican  then  set  himself  systematically  to  reduce  the 
place.  In  the  attempt  to  secure  an  advantage  by  the  in 
troduction  of  a  spy  within  the  walls,  he  was  himself  com 
pletely  overreached  by  the  cunning  of  one  of  the  Indian 
allies  of  the  Spaniards.  This  man,  discovering  the  errand 
of  the  spy,  secured  his  confidence  by  pretending  hatred 
against  the  invaders,  and  by  promising  his  aid  in  admitting 
the  besiegers  within  the  walls.  Caupolican  was  regularly 
entrapped  :  a  gate  was  left  open  to  give  opportunity  for  an 
entrance  into  the  fort,  but  when  such  a  number  had  entered 
as  could  safely  be  mastered,  the  passage  was  closed,  and 
by  a  sudden  and  unexpected  attack,  those  within  the  walls 
were  cut  to  pieces,  and  those  without  completely  routed. 
Caupolican  escaped  to  the  mountains,  but  three  of  his 
officers  were  taken  prisoners,  and  blown  from  the  muzzles 
of  cannon. 

The  years  1558  and  1559  were  memorable  among  the 
Spanish  settlers  of  Chili,  for  the  expedition  of  Don  Garcia 
to  the  archipelago  of  Chiloe.  By  an  artful  policy,  adopted 
in  accordance  with  the  advice  of  an  Araucanian,  the 
Clinches  averted  the  usual  terrors  of  European  invasion. 
They  pretended  extreme  poverty,  sending  to  the  general  a 
present  of  "  roasted  lizards  and  wild  fruits,"  and  carefully 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  669 

concealing  every  sign  of  wealth,  particularly  in  the  precious 
metals.  A  guide  furnished  by  them  to  the  Spaniards  was 
instructed  to  lead  the  army  southward  by  the  most  desolate 
and  dangerous  routes,  the  more  effectually  to  discourage 
any  plans  of  settlement  and  colonization. 

Arriving,  at  last,  after  unheard-of  toil  and  privation,  at 
the  beautiful  archipelago,  the  Spaniards  were  kindly  and 
generously  entertained  by  the  natives.  On  his  return, 
through  the  level  country  of  the  Huilliches,  Don  Garcia 
founded  the  city  of  Orsino. 

It  was  during  this  absence  of  the  viceroy  that  the  brave 
Caupolicaii  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  Alonzo 
Reynoso  extorted,  by  torture  of  a  prisoner,  the  disclosure 
of  his  place  of  retreat,  and  sent  a  corps  of  mounted  men  to 
surprise  him.  By  order  of  the  cruel  commandant,  this 
brave  and  venerated  ruler  was  impaled,  and  in  that  posi 
tion  despatched  with  arrows. 

The  office  of  Toqui  was  conferred  upon  a  son  of  the 
old  chief,  Caupolican  the  younger,  and  the  redoubted 
Tucapel  was  made  second  in  command.  An  army  of 
Araucanians,  led  by  the  new  commander,  was  immediately 
upon  the  march  for  the  city  of  Conception.  Alonzo  Rey- 
noso  followed,  with  five  hundred  men,  to  attack  this  body 
in  the  rear ;  but  was  signally  defeated  in  an  engagement 
north  of  the  river  Bio-bio,  which  he  hardly  succeeded  in 
recrossing  with  a  remnant  of  his  followers.  Instead  of 
following  out  his  original  design  against  Conception,  young 
Caupolican  transferred  his  forces  to  Imperial,  where  Don 
Garcia  had  fortified  himself.  He  was  unable  to  take  the 
city,  although  he  besieged  it  closely  for  a  long  time,  mak 
ing  many  furious  and  desperate  attacks.  The  Spaniards 
were  strengthened  by  constant  arrivals  of  military  adven 
turers  from  Spain  and  Peru,  and  as  their  defences  were 
good,  their  loss  in  these  engagements  was  small,  as  com 
pared  with  that  of  the  Indian  besiegers.  An  attempt  to 


670  INDIAN   RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

rouse  a  rebellion  among  the  Indian  allies  at  the  Spanish, 
camp,  was  discovered,  and  all  concerned  were  put  to  death. 
Two  of  the  emissaries  of  the  Toqui  were  "  impaled  in  the 
sight  of  the  Araucanian  army,  to  whom  they  recommended 
with  their  last  breath  to  die  in  defence  of  the  liberties  of 
their  country.  One  hundred  and  twenty  of  the  auxiliaries 
were  also  hung  on  the  ramparts,  exhorting  the  others  to 
favor  the  enterprise  of  their  countrymen." 

Caupolican  withdrew  from  the  city,  and  established  him 
self  at  a  place  called  Quipeo,  between  Conception  and  the 
fortress  of  Canete,  the  nature  of  which  was  such  that  it 
could  easily  be  defended.  Here  he  stoutly  resisted  all 
efforts  to  dislodge  him  for  a  long  time;  but  was  finally 
worsted  in  an  incautious  sally.  His  army  was  mostly 
destroyed ;  Tucapel,  Colocolo,  Lincoyan,  and  others  of  his 
bravest  officers,  had  fallen  ;  and,  seeing  escape  impossible, 
the  young  chief  put-  an  end  to  his  own  life. 

Every  thing  now  seemed  to  favor  the  Spaniards  :  they 
little  thought  that  after  such  a  reverse,  and  the  experience 
of  the  misery  and  horrors  of  a  long  and  bloody  war,  the 
natives  would  again  make  head  against  them.  The  inter 
val  of  peace  was  occupied  in  restoring  the  old  fortifications 
and  settlements,  and  in  the  establishment  of  new  posts.  It 
was  at  this  time  that  the  city  of  Mendoza,  east  of  the 
Andes,  was  founded. 

Nearly  all  the  Araucanian  officers,  and  a  large  propor 
tion  of  the  young  men  of  the  tribe,  had  perished  in  the 
last  disastrous  campaigns,  but  the  indomitable  spirit  of  the 
nation  survived.  A  brave  chief,  named  Antiguenu,  was 
chosen  Toqui,  and  the  shattered  forces  of  the  nation  were 
assembled  in  the  gloomy  and  almost  impenetrable  marshes 
of  Lumaco.  Here  Antiguenu  "  caused  high  scaffoldings  to 
be  erected  to  secure  his  men  from  the  extreme  moisture," 
and  devoted  himself  to  training  and  instructing  such  new 
recruits  as  could  be  collected. 


THE   ARAUCANIAN  RACE.  671 

Don  Garcia  had,  in  the  mean  time,  been  superseded  in 
his  office  of  Spanish  viceroy,  by  the  former  incumbent, 
Francis  Villagran  ;  who,  hearing  of  the  late  defeat  of.  the 
natives,  supposed  that  he  now  occupied  an  easy  and  secure 
position.  He  was  undeceived  by  the  intelligence  that  the 
new  Toqui  was  beginning  to  give  his  army  some  practical 
lessons  in  the  art  of  war  by  various  predatory  visits  to  the 
Spanish  settlements. 

The  first  serious  engagement,  in  this  campaign,  took 
place  at  the  summit  of  Mount  Mariguenu,  the  scene  of 
former  disaster  to  the  Spaniards.  Antiguenu,  familiar 
with  the  advantages  of  the  locality,  was  posted  at  this  spot, 
and  Villagran  sent  one  of  his  sons,  with  the  most  efficient 
force  at  his  disposal,  to  attack  the  enemy  in  their  quarters. 
The  result  of  the  attempt  was  as  fatal  as  upon  former  occa 
sions  :  the  leader  of  the  assailants  was  slain,  and  nearly 
the  entire  Spanish  army  destroyed.  The  Toqui  followed 
up  his  advantage  by  the  seizure  and  destruction  of  the  for 
tress  at  Canete. 

About  this  time  Pedro  Villagran,  by  the  death  of  Francis, 
his  father,  succeeded  to  the  office  of  governor.  Antiguenu 
had  now  at  his  disposal  an  army  of  not  far  from  four  thou 
sand  men,  and  felt  sufficiently  strong  to  divide  his  forces, 
and  make  a  simultaneous  attack  upon  the  city  of  Concep 
tion  and  the  fortress  at  Arauco. 

The  city  resisted  all  the  attempts  of  the  natives,  although 
close  siege  was  laid  to  it  for  two  months  ;  but  the  detach 
ment  led  into  Arauco  by  Antiguenu  in  person  was  more 
successful.  The  commandant,  Lorenzo  Bernal,  defended 
his  post  with  great  bravery,  holding  out  against  all  the  as 
saults  of  the  enemy  until  reduced  by  famine  to  evacuate  the 
fort.  The  Spaniards  were  not  disturbed  in  their  retreat,  the 
business  of  destroying  the  buildings  and  fortifications,  so 
long  a  harbor  for  the  enemy  in  the  heart  of  their  own 
country,  fully  occupying  the  attention  of  the  Araucanians. 


672  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 


Several  interesting  incidents  are  recorded  connected  with. 
this  siege  :  upon  one  occasion,  Antiguenu  challenged  the 
Spanish  commandant  to  a  private  personal  encounter,  and 
the  duel  was  accordingly  fought  in  sight  of  both  armies. 
"  The  battle  between  these  two  champions,"  says  the  histo 
rian,  "  was  continued  for  two  hours  without  either  obtaining 
any  advantage,  or  injuring  the  other,  till  they  were  at 
length  separated  by  their  men."  Such  trials  of  strength 
and  skill  between  renowned  warriors  of  either  party  were 
not  uncommon  during  the  protracted  wars  of  Chili. 

Not  long  after  the  reduction  of  Canete  and  the  fort  at 
Arauco,  a  general  engagement  took  place  between  the  In 
dians  and  Spaniards  at  the  junction  of  the  Yergosa  and 
Bio-bio,  in  which  the  former  were  totally  routed.  Anti 
guenu  with  many  of  his  followers  fell,  or  was  forced,  from 
a  steep  bank  into  the  stream,  and  there  perished.  A  ter 
rible  havoc  was  committed  among  the  discomfited  army, 
not,  however,  without  great  loss  to  the  victors,  and  the 
Araucanian  power  seemed,  a  second  time,  to  be  effectually 
crushed.  This  was  in  the  year  1564. 

The  sagacious  and  prudent  Paillataru,  a  relative  of  the 
lamented  Lautaro,  was  the  next  Toqui,  and,  like  his  pred 
ecessor,  he  set  himself,  at  first,  to  recruit  his  forces  ^and 
repair  the  disasters  of  war.  For  years  he  hazarded  no 
open  battle  with  the  whites,  but  inured  his  warriors  to  ser 
vice  by  flying  incursions. 

In  1565  a  new  Spanish  viceroy,  Rodrigo  de  Quiroga, 
restored  the  posts  at  Canete  and  Arauco,  and  built  a  new 
fort  at  Quipeo.  With  little  opposition,  he  laid  waste  those 
portions  of  the  Araucanian  territory  that  were  within  his 
reach,  and  despatched  a  body  of  troops  to  the  southward, 
to  bring  into  subjection  the  islands  of  the  Chilean  archi 
pelago.  The  mild  and  gentle  inhabitants  of  that  group 
submitted  without  an  effort  to  the  dictation  of  the  Span 
iards,  offering  no  resistance  to  the  burdens  of  personal 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  6}  3 

service,  &c.,  imposed  upon  them  by  their  new  masters.  In 
after-times  they  proved  equally  tractable  in  adopting  the 
religion  of  their  conquerors. 

For  thirty  years  from  the  installation  of  Paillataru, 
bloody  and  desolating  wars  were,  at  intervals,  waged  be 
tween  the  Spaniards  and  Araucanians.  The  former,  from 
the  steady  increase  of  their  numbers,  acquired  a  stronger 
foothold  in  the  country,  and  the  result  of  hostilities  was 
generally  in  their  favor.  Occasionally  some  terrible  reverse 
would  serve  to  remind  them  that  the  enemy  was  not  yet 
conquered,  but  that  the  old  spirit  still  burned  with  undi- 
minished  energy.  The  Araucanians  acquired  the  use  of 
horses,  thereby  gaining  great  facilities  for  flying  incursions. 
To  a  certain  extent  they  had,  moreover,  learned  to  avail 
themselves  of  such  fire-arms  as  were  secured  in  battle. 

Paillataru  defeated  the  Spaniards  yet  again  upon  Mount 
Mariguenu,  and,  as  well  as  his  successor,  the  mustee  or 
half-breed  Paynenancu,  proved  a  thorn  in  the  sides  of  the 
colonists.  The  Ulman  of  Mariguenu,  Cayancaru,  was 
made  Toqui  in  1585,  after  the  seizure  and  execution  of 
Paynenancu.  This  ruler,  disappointed  in  various  bold  but 
unsuccessful  campaigns,  resigned  office  in  favor  of  his  son 
Nangoniel,  who  was  soon  after  slain  in  battle.  A  noted 
warrior,  named  Cadeguala,  succeeded  him. 

The  new  Toqui,  after  various  other  warlike  operations, 
laid  siege  to  the  Spanish  fort  at  Puren.  Becoming  weary 
of  delay,  his  chivalrous  spirit  led  him  to  challenge  the 
commandant,  Garcia  Ramon,  to  single  combat,  thereby 
to  decide  the  fate  of  the  fortress.  The  two  leaders  accord 
ingly  fought  on  horseback,  with  lances,  and  Cadeguala  fell 
transfixed  by  his  adversary's  weapon  at  the  first  tilt. 

Guanoalca,  the  next  in  authority,  continued  to  wage  war 
with  the  Spaniards,  and  gained  many  advantages.  He 
reduced  and  took  possession  of  the  fortresses  at  Puren, 
Trinidad,  and  Spirito  Santo.  During  this  administration, 


674  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

flourished  a  celebrated  female  warrior,  named  Jane- 
queo,  who  in  1590,  with  a  horde  of  the  wild  and  loving 
Puelches  of  the  eastern  districts,  harassed  the  Spanish 
settlements. 

The  young  chief  Quintuguenu,  succeeded  Guanoalca, 
upon  the  death  of  that  Toqui  in  1591,  and  although  a 
brave  and  noble  warrior,  was  doomed  to  defeat  and  death 
at  the  spot  most  famous  for  his  countrymen's  victories. 
He  fell  on  the  heights  of  Mariguenu,  where  his  army  was 
destroyed  or  dispersed.  One  Paillaeco  was  elected  in  his 
place,  but  with  reduced  forces  he  could  effect  little  against 
the  Spaniards,  encouraged  as  they  were  by  recent  success. 
The  old  forts  and  posts  destroyed  under  the  sway  of  pre 
ceding  rulers  were  rebuilt  and  fortified  in  the  years  1591 
and  1592. 


CHAPTER    V. 

VICEROYALTY  OF  MARTIN  LOYOLA.  —  PAILLAMACtfU.  —  RENEWAL  OF 
THE  WAR.  —  LOYOLA  SLAIN.  —  GENERAL  INSURRECTION  OF  THE  NA 
TIVES.— THE  SPANIARDS  DRIVEN  FROM  THE  COUNTRY  SOUTH  OF 
THE  BIO-BIO.  — BLOODY  CAMPAIGNS  UNDER  SEVERAL  SUCCESSIVE 
TOQUIS.  —  PEACE  OF  1640.  —  TEN  YEARS'  WAR.  —  SUBSEQUENT  TREA 
TIES  AND  HOSTILITIES.  —  PRESENT  POSITION  OF  THE  ARAUCA- 
NIANS. 

IN  1593  Don  Martin  Loyola,  nephew  of  Ignatius,  the 
originator  of  the  order  of  Jesuits,  arrived  at  Chili,  in 
vested  with  the  office  of  governor  under  the  Spanish  mon 
archy.  During  the  period  of  his  authority  arose  the  re 
nowned  Paillamachu,  next  in  regular  succession  to  Pailla 
eco.  He  was  an  old  man,  but  endowed  with  singular  energy 
and  activity.  For  two  years  he  kept  aloof,  recruiting 
and  disciplining  his  forces  at  the  old  retreat  among  the 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  675 

Lumacan  morasses,  while  the  Spaniards  had  opportunity, 
unmolested,  to  restore  their  ruined  cities,  to  work  the  rich 
mines  of  the  mountains,  and  to  strengthen  their  positions 
as  they  would.  The  Toqui,  by  an  ambassador,  gave  Loy 
ola  distinctly  to  understand  that  he  and  his  followers  were, 
as  firmly  as  their  forefathers,  determined  never  to  be 
brought  into  subjection. 

Paillamachu's  first  attempt  against  his  enemies  was  by 
sending  a  detachment  (in  1595)  to  destroy  a  fortification 
erected  by  Loyola  at  the  southward  of  the  Bio-Bio.  From 
this  time  he  continued  to  attack  and  plunder  the  Spanish 
settlements  wherever  opportunity  offered,  avoiding  general 
engagements,  and  retreating  with  his  booty  to  his  inacces 
sible  fastnesses.  On  the  night  of  November  £2d,  1598, 
he  succeeded  in  surprising  and  slaying  the  Spanish  gov 
ernor,  at  his  encampment  (with  a  slender  retinue)  in  the 
vale  of  Caralva.  "  It  would  seem,"  (by  Molina's  account) 
"  that  the  Araucanian  general  had  formed  confident  hopes 
of  the  success  of  this  bold  enterprise,  since,  in  consequence 
of  his  previous  instructions,  in  less  than  forty-eight  hours 
after  this  event,  not  only  the  Araucanian  provinces,  but 
those  of  the  Cunches  and  Huilliches,  were  in  arms,  and 
the  whole  of  the  country  to  the  archipelago  of  Chiloe." 

The  native  armies  met  with  unprecedented  success  ; 
town  after  town  fell  before  them,  reduced  by  siege  or  car 
ried  by  storm.  Conception,  Chilian,  Canete,  the  Araucan 
fort,  Valdivia,  and  other  settlements,  were  destroyed,  and 
the  inhabitants  slain,  driven  off,  or  carried  away  captives. 
Villarica,  Osorno,  and  Imperial  were  conquered,  in  1602, 
after  protracted  siege,  in  which  the  miserable  citizens  suf 
fered  every  extremity  from  famine  and  terror.  "  Thus,  in 
a  period  of  little  more  than  three  years  were  destroyed  all 
the  settlements  which  Valdivia  and  his  successors  had  es 
tablished  and  preserved,  at  the  expense  of  so  much  blood, 
in  the  extensive  country  between  the  Bio-Bio  and  the 


676  INDIAN   EACES   OF   AMERICA. 

archipelago  of  Chiloe,  none  of  which  have  been  since  re 
built,  as  what  is  at  present  called  Valdivia  is  no  more  than 
a  fort  or  garrison."  —  (Molina's  Civil  History  of  Chili, 
written  about  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.) 

Great  numbers  of  Spanish  prisoners  were  carried  home 
by  the  Indians,  and  experienced  great  diversity  of  treat 
ment.  Many  intermarried  with  the  natives,  giving  origin 
to  a  race  of  half-breeds,  who  proved  as  inimical  towards 
the  Spaniards  as  their  dusky  ancestors. 

The  brave  and  sagacious  Paillamachu  died  in  1603. 
Repeated,  but  futile  attempts  were  made  by  the  Spaniards 
for  several  years  ensuing,  to  recover  their  lost  territory 
south  of  the  Bio-bio.  The  Indians,  fortunate  in  having 
brave  and  sagacious  rulers,  and  with  all  their  ancient  pride 
and  patriotic  enthusiasm  fully  aroused,  successfully  resisted 
every  invasion.  About  the  year  1612,  a  movement  was 
made  by  a  Jesuit,  named  Louis  Valdivia,  to  put  an  end  to 
this  hopeless  warfare,  that  an  opening  might  be  made  for 
the  spread  of  the  Christian  religion  among  the  independent 
tribes.  The  Spanish  monarch,  Philip  the  Third,  highly 
approved  of  the  plan,  and  proposals  were  forwarded  to  the 
Toqui  and  his  council,  by  means  of  certain  liberated  pris 
oners. 

While  the  treaty  of  peace  was  under  negotiation,  and 
flattering  prospects  of  quiet  appeared  to  the  settlers,  an 
event  occurred  which  put  a  speedy  end  to  all  peaceful  in 
tercourse.  Ancanamon,  the  Toqui,  had  a  Spanish  woman 
as  one  of  his  wives,  who  made  her  escape  from  his  power, 
and  sought  protection  from  the  Spanish  viceroy.  Two 
other  wives  of  the  Toqui,  and  two  of  his  daughters,  won 
over  by  her  persuasions  to  embrace  her  religion,  accompa 
nied  her  in  her  flight. 

The  Spaniards  refused  to  deliver  up  these  refugees,  with 
the  exception  of  one  who  had  not  professed  Christianity, 
and  Ancanamon,  enraged  at  the  supposed  injury,  slew  a 


THE    ARAUCANIAN   RACE.  677 

number  of  missionaries  who  had  been  conducted  into  his 
dominions,  and  with  renewed  energy  continued  the  pros 
ecution  of  the  war. 

About  the  year  1618,  a  most  fierce  and  dangerous  enemy 
of  the  Spaniards  had  the  dictatorship  of  the  Araucanian 
tribes.  This  was  the  celebrated  Toqui  Lientur.  A  chain 
of  military  posts  and  strong  fortifications  had  been  erected 
by  the  Spanish  authorities  upon  the  Bio-bio,  to  prevent 
Indian  incursions,  but  they  availed  nothing  against  the 
rapid  and  energetic  movements  of  the  native  commander. 
Until  his  resignation,  in  1625,  he  not  only  preserved  his 
own  country  from  Spanish  occupation,  but  made  continual 
inroads  into  the  enemy's  territory,  plundering  their  vil 
lages  and  destroying  the  forces  .brought  to  oppose  him.  In 
his  very  first  expedition,  he  is  said  to  have  seized  and  car 
ried  off  no  less  than  four  hundred  horses. 

His  successor,  the  young  warrior  Putapichion,  who  had 
been  formerly  a  slave  among  the  whites,  proved  a  no  less 
formidable  adversary.  He  continued  in  authority  until 
slain  in  battle  about  eight  years  from  the  time  of  his  acces 
sion  ;  a  period  marked  by  many  extensive  and  bloody  cam 
paigns,  in  which  the  Spaniards,  although  more  successful 
than  during  former  administrations,  could  obtain  110  per 
manent  footing  upon  Araucanian  soil.  At  the  last  grand 
engagement,  which,  in  consequence  of  his  death,  resulted 
favorably  for  the  Spaniards,  the  manner  in  which  this  chief 
marshalled  and  brought  his  forces  to  action  excited  the  ad 
miration  of  his  enemies. 

The  obstinacy  with  which  these  wars  were  carried  on 
during  a  period  of  little  less  than  a  century,  until  the  peace 
concluded  in  1640,  is  almost  without  parallel.  The  history 
of  the  times  does  not  record  a  series  of  petty  skirmishes, 
but  a  succession  of  desperate  campaigns,  in  which  the 
known  valor  and  obstinacy  of  the  Spaniard  were  no  less 
conspicuous  than  the  utter  carelessness  of  life  and  cnthusi- 


678  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

astic  self-devotion  of  the  Indian.  The  success  of  either 
party  would,  from  time  to  time,  seem  to  threaten  the  utter 
extermination  of  their  rivals,  but  defeat  only  compelled  a 
retreat,  on  the  one  hand  within  the  fortified  towns,  and  on 
the  other  into  the  impenetrable  wilderness,  until  new  forces 
could  be  raised  and  new  plans  of  assault  concocted. 

In  the  year  last  mentioned  the  Marquis  of  Baydes,  Fran 
cisco  Zuniga,  came  out  to  Chili  as  governor,  and  exerted 
himself  successfully  to  obtain  an  interview  with  the  Toqui 
Lincopichion,  and  to  conclude  terms  for  a  lasting  peace. 

An  immense  concourse  of  both  races  attended  at  the 
time  and  place  appointed  for  the  solemn  ratification  of  the 
treaty,  and  days  were  passed  in  feats  and  congratulatory 
ceremonials.  Prisoners  were  exchanged,  trade  was  estab 
lished,  and  free  scope  was  given  to  the  exertions  of  the 
devout  ecclesiastics  who  assumed  the  duty  of  converting 
the  Indians.  These  missionaries  were  well  and  respect 
fully  treated,  but  met  with  no  marked  success  in  the  prop 
agation  of  their  doctrines. 

The  peace  lasted  until  about  1655,  when  it  was  sue- 
ceeded  by  a  ten  years'  war,  the  particulars  of  which  are 
only  recorded  in  the  most  general  terras.  It  is  certain  that 
during  this  season  of  hostility  the  Spanish  colonists  met 
with  such  terrible  losses,  and  were,  upon  many  occasions, 
so  signally  defeated  by  the  Araucanians,  that  the  preserva 
tion  of  a  true  history  of  events  would  be  little  flattering 
to  their  national  pride. 

A  new  treaty  was  brought  about  in  1665,  by  the  gov 
ernor,  Francisco  Meneses,  and  the  country  was  compara 
tively  at  rest  for  more  than  half  a  century.  The  Spaniards 
began  to  settle  in  the  Araucanian  territory,  and,  in  conse 
quence  of  their  naturally  overbearing  disposition,  became 
objects  of  dislike  and  suspicion  to  the  native  inhabitants. 
Certain  Spanish  officials  denominated  the  "  Captains  of  the 
Friends,"  whose  nominal  duty  was  the  protection  of  the 


THE   ARAUCANIAN   RACES.  679 

missionaries,  but  who  assumed  unwarranted  powers,  were 
especially  odious. 

In  1722  the  discontent  of  the  Indians  led  them  to  a 
renewal  of  hostilities.  They  appointed  one  Villumilla,  a 
bold  and  ambitious  man,  to  the  office  of  Toqui.  This 
chief  exerted  himself  to  rouse  up  an  insurrection  through 
out  Chili,  but,  failing  in  this,  with  undiminished  resolution, 
he  collected  what  forces  could  be  mustered,  and  fell  upon 
the  Spanish  settlements.  He  met  with  no  little  success, 
gaining  possession  of  the  fortresses  of  Tucapel,  Arauco, 
and  Puren.  In  the  words  of  the  historian,  "  The  war 
afterwards  became  reduced  to  skirmishes  of  but  little  im 
portance,  which  were  finally  terminated  by  the  celebrated 
peace  of  Negrete,  a  place  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the 
rivers  Bio-bio  and  Lara."  The  more  important  grievances 
complained  of  by  the  natives  were  redressed  at  the  settle 
ment  of  the  terms  of  treaty. 

Further  difficulties  arose  under  the  administration  of 
Don  Antonio  Gonzago,  in  consequence  of  an  absurd  and 
futile  attempt  by  that  officer  to  induce  or  compel  the 
Araucanians  to  build  and  inhabit  cities  in  certain  prescribed 
localities.  A  war  ensued  in  which  some  bloody  battles 
were  fought,  and  in  which  the  roving  Pehuenches  were 
involved,  first  in  behalf  of  the  Spaniards,  but  afterwards 
as  firm  allies  of  their  own  countrymen.  Peace  was  con 
cluded  in  1773  ;  and  among  the  articles  of  stipulation,  it 
was  agreed  that  a  native  minister  should  be  stationed  at 
St.  Jago  to  keep  watch  over  his  nation's  interests. 

This  pacification  produced  the  happiest  results.  Kelieved 
from  the  danger  of  hostile  incursions,  the  Spanish  settle 
ments  north  of  that  natural  boundary,  the  Bio-bio,  increased 
and  prospered,  while  the  free  tribes  at  the  south  were  left 
to  the  exercise  of  their  own  system  of  government  and  the 
enjoyment  of  their  well-earned  liberty. 

The    proud    distinction    of    being    the    only    aboriginal 


680  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Americans  who  have  maintained  their  independence  when 
brought  directly  in  contact  with  Europeans,  still  belongs 
to  the  Araucanians.  They  occupy  much  of  their  old 
territory  within  the  modern  republic  of  Chili,  a  district  set 
down  as  covering  an  area  of  twenty-eight  thousand  square 
miles. 

It  may  well  be  doubted  whether  the  world  has  ever  pro 
duced  a  race  of  men,  who,  with  no  greater  advantages,  from 
numbers,  and  advancement  in  the  arts,  have  accomplished 
military  exploits  worthy  to  be  compared  with  those  record 
ed  in  Araucaiiian  history.  The  different  aims  and  purposes 
of  the  contending  parties  throughout  the  long  and  terrible 
contest  with  the  colonists,  enlist  our  warmest  sympathies 
with  the  natives.  On  the  one  hand,  the  insatiable  thirst 
for  gold,  the  pride  of  conquest,  or  the  scarcely  less  detest 
able  spirit  of  mtqlerant  bigotry,  were  the  ruling  motives  — 
and  how  powerful  they  have  proved,  let  the  history  of 
Spanish  America  portray  —  while,  on  the  other,  the  whole 
end  and  aim  of  the  rightful  owners  of  the  soil,  individually 
and  collectively,  seem  to  have  been  directed  with  unflinch 
ing  self-devotion  towards  the  one  object  of  the  preservation 
of  liberty  and  independence. 

The  principal  benefit  derived  by  the  modern  Araucani 
ans  from  intercourse  with  foreigners  is  in  the  introduction 
of  horses  and  cattle.  These,  with  the  vicuna  and  guanaco, 
constitute  their  principal  riches  :  they  still  live  in  a  state 
of  primeval  simplicity,  and  freedom  from  most  of  the  arti 
ficial  wants  of  civilization. 


INDIAN  TKIBES  OF  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  —  PINZON'S  DISCOVERIES.  —  LANDING  OF 
PEDRO  ALVAREZ  CABRAL  UPON  THE  BRAZILIAN  COAST.  -  EXPEDI 
TION  UNDER  VESPUCIUS.  — CANNIBALISM.  — COLONIZATION  OF  THE 
COUNTRY,  AND  WARS  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  — FATE  OF  JUAN  DE  SOLIS, 
AT  THE  ESTUARY  OF  LA  PLATA.  — SETTLEMENT  OF  BAHIA  DE  TODOS 
SANTOS  BY  DIOGO  ALVAREZ.  — THE  JESUITS. —  PARTICULARS  OF  THE 
CANNIBAL  PROPENSITIES  OF  THE  NATIVES.  — THE  BOTOCUDOS. 

THERE  is  a  certain  degree  of  resemblance  in  form  and 
feature  between  the  Guarani  tribes  of  Brazil  with  those 
of  other  provinces  farther  south,  and  the  races  north  of 
the  Amazon,  described  in  a  former  chapter.  The  obliquity 
of  the  eye,  and  the  yellowish  tinge  of  the  complexion,  with 
other  peculiarities,  give  them  somewhat  the  appearance  of 
the  Eastern  Asiatic  races.  "  The  Eastern  Guarani,"  ac 
cording  to  Prichard,  "  are  the  Tupi,  or  native  inhabitants 
of  the  Brazils.  'The  general  language  of  Brazil,'  says 
Hervas,  '  called  Tupi,  from  the  name  of  the  first  Indians 
who  were  converted  to  the  holy  faith,  is  not  more  different 
from  the  Guarani,  viz  :  of  Paraguay,  than  the  Portuguese 
from  the  Spanish.'  The  same  writer  enumerates,  from  in 
formation  derived  from  ecclesiastics,  the  following  tribes 
who  speak  the  Tupi,  with  little  variety  of  dialect,  viz  :  the 
Cariyi,  southward  of  the.  Tupi  proper,  reaching  as  far 
towards  the  south  as  the  Rio  Grande  del  Sud  or  S.  Pietro, 
39  (681) 


682  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

the  Tamoyi,  Tupinaqui,  Timmiminos,  Tobayari,  Tupin- 
ambi,  Apanti,  Tapigoas,  and  several  other  tribes,  occupy 
ing  all  the  maritime  countries  as  far  north  as  the  river 
Maragnon." 

The  first  information  obtained  by  Europeans  concerning 
Brazil  and  its  inhabitants,  was  from  the  report  of  Vicente 
Pinzon,  the  associate  of  Columbus  upon  his  first  voyage 
to  America.  On  the  26th  of  January,  1500,  Pinzon,  who, 
with  several  vessels,  was  bound  upon  an  exploring  expedi 
tion,  made  the  present  Cape  St.  Augustine,  at  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  southern  continent.  He  took  formal  pos 
session  of  the  country,  and  coasted  thence  as  far  north  as 
the  mouth  of  the  Amazon,  of  which  he  was  the  discoverer. 
The  voyage  was  in  some  respects  disastrous,  as  three  of  the 
vessels  were  lost,  and  several  men  perished  in  encounters 
with  the  ferocious  natives.  Upon  one  occasion,  a  single 
Spaniard  was  sent  forward  to  conciliate  and  parley  with  a 
group  of  Indians  who  stood  upon  a  hill  watching  the  move 
ments  of  the  strangers.  "  The  Spaniard,"  says  Southey, 
in  his  history  of  Brazil,  "  made  all  the  friendly  signs  he 
could  devise,  and  threw  to  them  a  hawks'-bell,  for  which 
they  threw  down  something  which  was  supposed  to  be  a 
piece  of  gold  ;  he  stooped  for  it,  and  they  sprang  forward 
to  seize  him."  He  defended  himself  with  great  valor  and 
skill,  until  his  comrades  hastened  to  his  assistance.  "  The 
savages,  with  their  deadly  archery,  slew  eight,  wounded 
many  more,  and  pursued  them  to  their  boats.  *  *  They 
rushed  on  like  wild  beasts,  despising  wounds  and  death ; 
followed  the  boats  even  when  they  had  put  off,  dived  after 
them,  and  fairly  won  one  of  them,  having  slain  its  captain 
and  driven  out  the  crew." 

From  this  incident  it  will  plainly  appear  that  the  Span 
ish  adventurers  had  an  enemy  to  deal  with  very  different 
from  the  gentle  and  luxurious  natives  of  the  islands.  That 
the  aborigines  of  some  portions  of  Brazil  were  a  warlike 


INDIAN   TRIBES    OF   BRAZIL.  683 

and  fierce  race  of  cannibals,  cannot  be  doubted  from  the 
accounts  given  by  early  voyagers,  although  some  have 
affected  to  doubt  whether  they  were  actually  accustomed  to 
devour  human  flesh. 

During  the  spring  following  Pinzon's  discovery,  Pedro 
Alvarez  Cabral  accidentally  came  upon  the  Brazilian  coast, 
as  he  was  steering  westward  to  avoid  the  terrible  calms 
which  prevail  west  of  the  tropical  regions  of  Africa.  He 
landed  at  the  spot  afterwards  the  site  of  Cabralia,  about 
seventeen  degrees  south  of  Cape  St.  Augustine.  Cabral 
was  much  more  successful  than  his  predecessor  in  gaining 
the  confidence  of  the  natives.  The  tribe  with  whom  he 
first  held  intercourse  was,  indeed,  of  a  more  tractable  and 
kindly  disposition  than  those  met  with  by  Pinzon  :  the 
usual  expedient  of  securing  a  prisoner,  and  then  dismissing 
him  with  caresses  and  presents,  brought  the  natives  in  ad 
miring  crowds  about  the  vessel. 

Cabral  took  possession,  in  behalf  of  the  crown  of  Por 
tugal,  and,  erecting  a  crucifix,  ordered  the  ceremonials  of 
the  church  to  be  performed,  the  Indians  joining  readily  in 
the  attitude  of  devotion  assumed  by  the  company. 

The  next  Portuguese  expedition,  under  Amerigo  Ves 
pucci,  sailed  from  Europe  in  May,  1501.  Land  was  made 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  St.  Roque,  in  five  de 
grees  south  latitude,  where  the  voyagers  were  horror- 
stricken  at  the  discovery  of  the  cannibal  propensities  of 
the  native  inhabitants.  Two  sailors  were  missing,  who 

O  " 

had  been  allowed  to  go  on  shore  to  reconnoitre,  and  the 
crew  landed  in  the  boats  to  ascertain  their  fate.  A  young 
Portuguese  imprudently  went  forward  alone  to  communi 
cate  with  the  natives,  when,  in  plain  sight  of  his  comrades, 
he  was  set  upon  by  the  women,  knocked  down  with  a 
club  from  behind,  and  dragged  off.  An  attack  upon  the 
boats  immediately  followed,  and,  although  the  savages 
were  easily  driven  off  by  the  fire-arms,  they  only  retired  to 


684  INDIAN   RACES   OF    AMERICA. 

dismember,  broil,  and  feast  upon  the  body  of  the  man 
they  had  secured.  By  unmistakable  gestures,  they  made 
known  to  the  crew  that  the  other  two  Portuguese  had  met 
with  the  same  fate. 

No  settlement  in  the  country  was  attempted  until  the 
year  1503,  when  twenty-four  men  were  left  at  the  port  of 
All  Saints.  Private  adventurers  commenced  colonies  at 
various  points  upon  the  coast  during  the  ensuing  years, 
making  the  collection  of  the  wood  from  which  the  country 
derives  its  name,  the  principal  object  of  their  efforts.  A 
most  bloody  and  savage  warfare  soon  broke  out  between 
these  settlers  and  the  native  inhabitants,  in  which  either 
party  seemed  to  strive  for  preeminence  in  cruelty.  A  sys 
tem  of  transporting  criminals  from  the  old  country  to 
Brazil  served  to  debase  the  character  of  the  colonies.  In 
warfare  with  the  Indians,  on  the  one  hand,  the  prisoners 
were  slain  and  eaten ;  and  on  the  other,  all  were  put  to 
death  except  such  as  would  be  valuable  for  slaves. 

Meantime,  the  rage  for  discovery  brought  out  divers 
adventurers  from  the  Old  World.  In  1509,  Don  Juan  de 
Solis,  accompanied  by  Vicente  Pinzon,  and  commissioned 
by  the  king  of  Castile,  coasted  as  far  south  as  the  mouth 
of  the  La  Plata,  entering  upon  his  route  the  magnificent 
harbor  of  Rio  Janeiro.  The  tragic  fate  of  this  commander 
is  thus  described  by  Southey  :  While  in  the  immense 
estuary  of  the  river,  "  the  natives  invited  him  to  shore, 
and  he  landed  with  a  boat's-crew,  intending  to  catch  one 
of  them  and  carry  him  to  Spain.  Their  intention  was 
worse  than  his,  and  better  executed.  They  had  stationed 
a  party  in  ambush,  who  rose  suddenly  upon  the  crew, 
seized  the  boat,  broke  it  to  pieces  in  an  instant,  and  slew 
every  man  with  clubs  ;  then  they  took  the  bodies  upon 
their  shoulders,  carried  them  to  a  spot  which  was  out  of 
the  reach  of  the  Spaniards,  but  within  sight,  and  there  dis 
membered,  roasted,  and  devoured  them.  The  scene  of 


INDIAN   TRIBES   OF   BRAZIL,  685 

this  tragedy  was  on  the  north  shore,  between  Monte  Video 
and  Maldonado,  near  a  rivulet,  which  still  bears  the  name 
of  Soils." 

The  circumstances  connected  with  the  first  settlement 
of  Bahia  de  Todos  Santos,  the  province  of  which  St.  Sal 
vador  was  afterwards  the  capital,  are  singularly  striking. 
A  young  man,  from  Viana,  named  Diogo  Alvarez,  was 
one  of  a  ship's  company  who  had  been  cast  away  upon 
the  neighboring  shoals.  Of  those  who  reached  the  shore 
in  safety,  Diogo  was  the  only  one  fortunate  enough  to 
escape  being  devoured.  He  managed  to  gain  the  good-will 
of  the  Indians  by  his  services,  and  more  especially  com 
manded  their  respect  and  reverence  by  his  management 
of  a  musket,  which,  with  a  store  of  ammunition,  he  had 
saved  from  the  wreck.  They  denominated  him  Cayamuru, 
"  the  man  of  fire,"  and  exalted  him  to  the  rank  of  a  great 
chief  and  captain.  In  wars  against  the  nation-  of  the 
Tapuyas,  the  terror  of  Diogo 's  wonderful  weapon  gained 
the  most  signal  victories  for  his  associates  :  in  reward  for 
his  services,  the  principal  men  of  the  country  gave  him 
their  daughters  for  wives,  and  he  lived  like  a  sovereign  sur 
rounded  by  reverential  attendants.  According  to  Southey, 
"  He  fixed  his  abode  where  Villa  Velha  was  afterwards 
erected  ;  and  soon  saw  as  numerous  a  progeny  as  an  old 
patriarch's  rising  around  him.  The  best  families  in  Bahia 
trace  their  origin  to  him." 

Diogo  took  advantage  of  the  arrival  of  a  French  vessel 
upon  the  coast  to  return  to  Europe,  taking  with  him  one 
of  his  wives,  named  Paraguaza.  As  the  ship  got  under 
weigh,  several  of  his  other  consorts  gave  proof  of  their 
affection  by  swimming  after  it,  and  one  of  them  persisted 
in  the  hopeless  endeavor  to  follow  until  so  exhausted  that 
she  perished  before  being  able  to  return  to  shore.  The 
king  and  queen  of  France  showed  great  attention  to  Diogo 
and  his  wife,  and  by  their  directions  the  latter  was  bap- 


686  INDIAN   RACES    OF    AMERICA. 

tized  with  much  ceremony,  and  joined  to  her  husband  by 
a  legal  marriage  according  to  the  rules  of  the  church. 

By  the  assistance  of  a  rich  merchant,  Diogo  afterwards 
returned  to  Bahia  with  many  conveniences  for  establishing 
himself  in  security  and  comfort,  and  for  the  arrangement 
of  a  regular  system  of  traffic  in  the  productions  of  the 
country.  He  proved  of  inestimable  service,  in  after  years, 
when  an  extensive  colonization  of  that  region  took  place, 
in  keeping  up  friendly  relations  with  the  Indians.  From 
this  central  point,  where  St.  Salvador  was  built,  commenced 
that  wonderful  influence  exerted  by  the  Jesuit  mission 
aries  over  the  native  population. 

These  enthusiastic  devotees  found  their  proselytes  not 
unapt  in  acquiring  the  Portuguese  language,  and  by  the 
attractions  of  music,  of  which  they  were  passionately  fond, 
together  with  kind  treatment  and  virtuous  example,  they 
won  over  gp'eat  numbers  to  a  conformation  to  the  outward 
requisitions  of  their  faith,  if  not  to  an  understanding  of  its 
abstractions.  One  thing,  however,  seemed  almost  imprac 
ticable,  and  that  was  to  eradicate  the  inordinate  propensity 
to  cannibalism,  so  universally  diffused  among  the  Brazilian 
aborigines.  An  anecdote  upon  this  point,  related  by  Mr. 
Southey,  has  been  often  told,  but  will  bear  repetition  :  "  A 
Jesuit  one  day  found  a  Brazilian  woman  in  extreme  old 
age,  and  almost  at  the  point  of  death.  Having  catechized 
her,  instructed  her,  as  he  conceived,  in  the  nature  of  Chris 
tianity,  and  completely  taken  care  of  her  soul,  he  began  to 
inquire  whether  there  was  any  kind  of  food  which  she 
could  take?  'Grandam,'  said  he,  'if  I  were  to  get  you  a 
little  sugar  now,  or  a  mouthful  of  some  of  our  nice  things 
which  we  bring  from  beyond  sea,  do  you  think  you  could 
eat  it  ?  '  '  Ah,  my  grandson,'  said  the  old  convert,  '  my 
stomach  goes  against  every  thing.  There  is  but  one  thing 
which  I  fancy  I  could  touch.  If  I  had  the  little  hand  of 
a  little  tender  Tapuya  boy,  I  think  I  could  pick  the 


INDIAN   TRIBES   OF   BRAZIL. 

little  bones ;  but,  woe  is  me,  there  is  nobody  to  go  out 
and  shoot  one  for  me  ! ' ' 

In  addition  to  the  instructions  and  persuasions  of  the 
Jesuits,  the  Portuguese  colonial  authorities  lent  their  aid 
to  enforce  the  regulations  prohibiting  this  unnatural  cus 
tom,  but  it  was  long  a  bone  of  contention  between  them  and 
their  Indian  dependants,  who  were  willing  to  give  up  any 
other  of  their  national  usages  rather  than  this.  Purchas 
gives  the  following  description  of  some  of  the  ceremonies 
attendant  upon  the  disposal  of  prisoners  taken  in  battle  : 

"  Their  captives  they  convey  in  the  midst  of  their  army 
home  to  their  territories,  and  thereunto  the  men  will  not 
stick  to  give  their  sisters  or  daughters  to  perfoi-m  all  the 
duties  of  a  wife,  and  feed  them  with  the  best  till  they  re- 
demand  the  same  out  of  their  flesh.  *  *  When  that  dis 
mal  day  approacheth,  knowledge  is  given,  and  the  men, 
women,  and  children  assemble  to  the  place  appointed,  and 
there  pass  the  morning  in  drinking,  and  the  captive  (al 
though  he  knoweth  the  dreadful  issue)  danceth,  drinketh, 
and  frolics  it  with  the  best." 

They  then  lead  him  about  the  town  by  a  rope  :  "  Neither 
cloth  he,  for  all  this,  hang  down  his  head,  as  men  here 
going  to  be  hanged,  but  with  incredible  courage  emblaz- 
oneth  his  own  worthiness."  Like  the  North  American 
Indians,  the  victim  boasts  of  his  former  exploits  against 
his  captors,  with  every  species  of  taunt  and  provocation. 
He  recounts  those  whom  he  has  assisted  to  devour,  and 
predicts  a  terrible  retribution  for  his  own  destruction. 
"  Then  they  bring  him  stones,  and  bid  him  revenge  his 
death.  He  hurleth  them  at  those  that  stand  about 
him,  whereof  there  are  some  four  thousand,  and  hurteth 
divers." 

When  he  is  finally  despatched,  his  temporary  wife 
"  comes  to  the  carcass,  and  spends  a  little  time  and  pas 
sion  in  mourning ;  but  her  crocodile's  tears  are  soon  dried^ 


688  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

and  the  humor  falls  into  her  teeth,  which  water  for  the 
first  morsel."  The  whole  process  of  dressing  and  devour 
ing  is  minutely  described. 

Bahia  was  settled  about  the  year  1550,  and  ten  years 
later  Rio  Janeiro  was  founded  by  the  Portuguese  governor, 
after  the  expulsion  of  the  French,  who  had  attempted  to 
gain  possession  of  that  region  of  country.  The  coast  set 
tlements  were  steadily  increasing  in  stability  and  power, 
but  not  without  further  contests  with  the  native  inhab 
itants.  Of  these,  the  most  savage  and  dangerous  were  the 
Botocudos,  dwelling  in  the  interior,  and  between  the  rivers 
Doce  and  Pardo,  from  the  fifteenth  to  the  twentieth  degree 
of  south  latitude.  They  have  always  been  considered  as 
being  among  the  most  repulsive  and  brutish  of  the  hu 
man  race.  They  are  supposed  to  be  the  same  race  as  the 
Aymores,  once  the  most  dangerous  enemies  of  the  Portu 
guese  settlers.  Their  natural  figure  and  the  conformation  of 
their  features  seem,  from  most  accounts,  to  be  by  no  means 
unpleasing.  Dwelling  in  a  forest  country,  their  complex 
ion  is  fairer  than  that  of  many  of  the  South  American 
Indians ;  it  is  of  a  light  yellowish  copper  color,  and  suffi 
ciently  transparent  for  a  blush  to  be  perfectly  obvious. 
The  stories  of  their  frightful  and  hideous  appearance  may 
all  be  referred  to  one  most  barbarous  custom  of  mutilation 
and  deformity,  prevalent  among  them  from  the  earliest 
times.  This  is  the  insertion  of  a  large  wooden  plug  or 
button,  called  the  "  botoque,"  into  a  slit  in  the  under  lip : 
similar  appendages  are  worn  at  the  ears. 

This  botoque  is  of  such  a  size  that  its  pressure  generally 
causes  the  lower  teeth  eventually  to  fall  out,  and  its  pro 
jection  gives  the  most  hideously  uncouth  and  brutish  ap 
pearance  to  the  countenance.  The  slit  is  made  and  the 
plug  is  inserted  during  childhood,  and  as  the  opening 
enlarges  with  time,  the  size  of  the  botoque  is  increased 
until  it  has  reached  the  full  measure  of  deformity  and 


INDIAN    TRIBES    OF   BRAZIL.  689 

inconvenience.  It  interferes  with  mastication,  and  is  every 
way  disgusting  and  troublesome,  but,  like  many  scarcely 
less  irrational  and  absurd  customs  among  enlightened  com 
munities,  it  retains  its  hold  to  the  present  day. 

When  the  botoque  is  removed,  which  operation  is  as 
easily  effected  as  the  unbuttoning  a  coat,  a  disgusting  aper 
ture  is  disclosed,  through  which  the  loosened  and  distorted 
teeth  distinctly  appear.  Purchas  says  of  some  of  those 
wild  tribes  of  the  interior,  generally  called  Tapuyas,  that 
on  their  travels,  "  they  do  carry  great  store  of  tobacco  with 
them  ;  and  continually  they  have  a  leaf  laid  along  their 
mouth,  between  the  lip  and  the  teeth ;  and,  as  they  go, 
the  same  runneth  out  of  the  hole  that  they  have  in  their 
lips." 

The  Botocudos  are  of  an  indolent  disposition,  but  withal 
capable  of  enduring  the  greatest  fatigue  when  occasion 
requires.  Their  muscular  development  is  remarkably  fine, 
and  a  life  of  exposure  so  hardens  their  skin  that,  without 
clothing,  they  can  with  perfect  ease  make  their  way  through 
tangled  brakes  which  would  effectually  impede  the  pro 
gress  of  a  European.  Their  huts,  implements,  and  man 
ner  of  life  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  other  Eastern  nations 
of  the  tropical  portion  of  South  America,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  their  sleeping  accommodations.  The  hammock  is 
not  in  use  among  them,  but  rude  couches  of  bark,  &c., 
laid  upon  the  ground,  are  all  that  they  require.  They 
have  no  boats  or  canoes,  and  it  has  been  said  of  them  that 
they  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  art  of  swimming.  This 
appears  to  be  an  error. 

The  character  of  the  Botocudos  as  cannibals,  combined 
with  the  repulsive  appearance  caused  by  the  botoque,  has 
given  them  a  worse  reputation  perhaps  than  they  deserve. 
Many  desirable  traits  are  observable  in  their  natural  char 
acter,  and  their  intellectual  capacity  does  not  seem  to  be 
inferior  to  the  generality  of  South  American  Indians. 


690  INDIAN   EACES   OF  AMERICA. 

Their  aversion  to  labor  does  not  result  in  apathy,  nor  do 
we  perceive  in  them  that  gloomy,  morose,  and  reserved 
demeanor  common  among  some  of  the  Western  Aborigines. 
They  are  spoken  of  as  "  gay,  facetious,  and  ready  to  con 
verse." 

Some  praiseworthy  efforts  have  been  made  for  the  im 
provement  and  civilization  of  this  race,  the  effects  of  which 
have  been  very  satisfactory.  Mr.  Pritchard  quotes  as  fol 
lows,  from  the  records  of  the  "  Society  for  the  Protection 
of  the  Aborigines  :  " 

"  By  the  exertions  of  Guido  Marliere,  to  whom  commu 
nications  were  made  on  the  part  of  this  society,  almost  at 
the  commencement,  Guido  Procrane,  a  Botocudo  Indian  of 
great  native  talent,  was  introduced  to  the  blessings  of  civ 
ilization  and  Christianity,  and  his  new  acquirements  were 
directed  to  the  amelioration  of  his  countrymen.  His  exer 
tions  have  been  crowned  with  signal  success,  and  four  sec 
tions  of  the  barbarous  tribes  have  been  brought  under  the 
influence  of  civilization,  and  taught  to  cultivate  their  soil, 
from  which  they  have  raised  not  only  enough  for  their  own 
support,  but  a  surplus,  which  has  been  the  means  of  res 
cuing  even  a  portion  of  the  white  Brazilians  from  famine 
and  starvation.  Useful  laws  have  been  introduced  among 
them,  and  Guido  Procrane,  in  the  criminal  code  which  he 
has  established,  has  set  an  example  which  legislators,  the 
hereditary  professors  of  Christianity,  would  do  well  to 
imitate,  in  the  total  exclusion  of  capital  punishment/' 


INDIAN    TRIBES    OF   BRAZIL.  691 


CHAPTER    II. 

SUCCESS  OP  THE  PORTUGUESE  AGAINST  THE  NATIVES.  —  THEIR  CON 
TESTS  WITH  SETTLERS  FROM  OTHER  COUNTRIES  OF  EUROPE.— 
ENGLISH  COLONY  AT  PARAIBA.  — EXPULSION  OF  GUARANI  TRIBES 
FROM  THEIR  COUNTRY  6N  LA  PLATA.  — DIVISION  OF  BRAZILIAN 
NATIONS.  — DAILY  ROUTINE  OF  INDIAN  LIFE  IN  THE  FORESTS.— 
REFLECTIONS. 

To  continue  our  narrative  of  Portuguese  settlement  and 
colonization,  the  efforts  of  the  viceroy  Mem  da  Sa,  resulted 
in  the  reduction  of  the  savage  and  turbulent  Botocudos. 
In  the  desultory  warfare  of  the  time,  the  aid  of  such  Indian 
allies  as  were  attached  to  the  royal  cause  was  of  signal 
advantage. 

The  immense  extent  of  fruitful  sea-coast  along  the  east 
ern  shores  of  Brazil,  invited  adventurers  from  various 
European  nations.  The  French,  as  we  have  seen,  were 
repelled  in  their  efforts  to  colonize  the  region  of  the  La 
Plata,  and  the  Portuguese  were  no  less  successful  in  expel 
ling  intruders  from  other  quarters.  An  English  settlement 
had  been  commenced  at  Paraiba,  to  the  northward  of  Per- 
nambuco.  The  colonists  at  this  place,  says  Southey,  "  con 
nected  themselves  with  the  native  women ;  and  in  another 
generation  the  Anglo-Tupi  Mamalucos  might  have  been 
found  dangerous  neighbors,  if  the  governor  of  St.  Sebas 
tians,  steadily  pursuing  the  system  of  his  court,  had  not, 
in  the  fifth  year  of  their  abode,  attacked  and  exterminated 
them.  They  who  escaped  from  the  merciless  war  which 
the  Portuguese  waged  against  all  interlopers,  fled  into  the 
interior,  and  either  they  were  eaten  by  the  savages,  as  was 
believed,  or  lived  and  died  among  them,  becoming  savages 
themselves." 

Long  and  wearisome  details  of  struggles  for  empire  in 
the  New  World  between  the  Portuguese,  Spanish,  and 


692  INDIAN  RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

Dutch,  occupy  the  history  of  Brazil  until  the  establish 
ment  in  that  country  of  the  royal  family  of  Portugal,  in 
1808.  Few,  except  the  Jesuits,  seemed  to  have  any  care 
for  the  rights  of  the  native  population,  or  interest  in  their 
improvement.  These  missionaries  —  zealous  and  devoted 
in  whatever  cause,  whether  for  good  or  ill,  that  they  es 
poused  —  drew  upon  themselves  no  trifling  persecution  by 
their  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Indians.  Upon  a  settlement 
of  the  limits  of  jurisdiction  on  the  La  Plata,  in  1750,  be 
tween  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  governments,  thirty 
thousand  of  the  Guarani  tribe  were  compelled  to  abandon 
their  homes.  These  Indians  had  been  objects  of  especial 
care  to  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  and  in  the  resistance  which 
they  naturally  made  to  so  summary  a  removal,  they  in 
volved  their  spiritual  guides  in  difficulties. 

"  The  Indians,"  says  Conder,  "  rose  in  all  directions  to 
oppose  the  mandate  ;  but  the  short  though  vigorous  resist 
ance  which  they  made,  only  left  them  more  than  ever  in 
the  power  of  their  enemies.  Great  numbers  were  slaugh 
tered,  and  those  who  refused  to  submit  were  compelled  to 
leave  the  country.  *  *  In  the  year  1761,  when  Carlos 
III.  acceded  to  the  throne  of  Spain,  the  treaty  of  limits 
was  annulled ;  the  Guaranies  who  had  been  so  wantonly 
and  cruelly  expelled  were  instructed  to  return  to  their 
dilapidated  town  and  wasted  country,  and  the  Jesuits, 
resuming  their  benignant  administration,  exerted  them 
selves  to  repair,  as  far  as  possible,  the  evils  that  had  been 
done." 

The  effects  of  the  Catholic  mission  in  Brazil  are  still 
visible  among  no  small  portion  of  the  aboriginal  inhabit 
ants.  Unfortunately  in  too  many  instances  the  religion 
which  they  now  profess  is  but  a  graft  upon  their  old  su 
perstitions. 

The  Indians  of  Brazil  are  divided  into  a  great  number 
of  tribes,  differing  more  in  language  than  in  general  ap- 


INDIAN   TRIBES   OP   BRAZIL.  C93 

pearance  and  characteristics.  The  Tupis,  who  were  the 
most  extensively  diffused  over  the  coast  country  at  the  pe 
riod  of  the  first  European  discovery,  are  greatly  reduced  in 
numbers.  The  tribes  of  the  far  interior,  where  little  or  no 
intercourse  is  held  with  the  whites,  have  changed  but  little 
from  the  habits  and  appearance  of  their  ancestors.  Dr. 
Von  Martius  has  enumerated  no  less  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  distinct  tribes  or  nations  within  the  limits  of  Brazil ; 
many  of  them,  to  be  sure,  consisting  of  but  few  families 
or  individuals,  and  not  sufficiently  distinct  one  from  an 
other  to  render  a  classification  useful  or  interesting.  This 
traveller  has  given  a  very  lively  picture  of  the  life  and 
daily  routine  of  these  denizens  of  the  forest.  The  follow 
ing  sketch  is  selected  from  his  "  Travels,"  and  transcribed 
in  an  article  upon  the  Brazilian  Indians,  to  be  found  in 
that  invaluable  periodical,  the  "  Penny  Magazine :  " 

"  As  soon  as  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  beam  on  the  hut 
of  the  Indian,  he  awakes,  rises  immediately,  and  goes  to 
the  door,  where  he  generally  spends  some  time  in  rubbing 
and  stretching  his  limbs.  Returning  into  the  hut,  he  looks 
for  the  still  live  embers  of  the  fire  of  the  day  before,  or 
lights  it  afresh  by  means  of  two  dry  sticks,  one  of  which 
he  sets  upon  the  other,  twirling  it  like  a  mill  till  it  kin 
dles,  and  then  he  adds  dry  grass  or  straw.  All  the  male 
inhabitants  then  take  part  in  the  business  ;  some  drag 
wood  out  of  the  forest;  others  heap  up  the  fire  between 
several  large  stones,  and  all  of  them  seat  themselves  round 
it  in  a  squatting  attitude.  Without  looking  at  or  speak 
ing  to  each  other,  they  often  remain  for  hours  together 
in  this  position,  solely  engaged  in  keeping  in  the  fire, 
or  roasting  Spanish  potatoes,  bananas,  ears  of  maize, 
&c.,  in  the  ashes  for  breakfast.  A  tame  monkey,  or  some 
other  of  their  numerous  domestic  animals  with  which  they 
play,  serves  to  amuse  them.  The  first  employment  of  the 
women,  on  leaving  their  hammocks,  is  to  paint  themselves 


694  INDIAN   RACES   OF  AMERICA. 

and  their  children,  on  which  each  goes  to  her  domestic 
occupation,  stripping  the  threads  from  the  palm-trees, 
manufacturing  nets,  making  earthen-ware,  rubbing  man- 
dioca,  and  pounding  maize,  from  which  they  make  a  cool 
ing  beverage.  Others  go  to  their  little  plantations  to  fetch 
maize,  mandioca,  and  beans ;  or  into  the  forest  to  look 
for  wild  fruits  and  roots.  When  the  men  have  finished 
their  frugal  breakfast,  they  prepare  their  bows,  arrows, 
strings,  &c." 

As  the  heat  of  the  day  increases,  the  Indian  takes  his 
bath,  and  then  systematically  sets  about  his  day's  hunt ; 
"the  tapir,  monkeys,  pigs,  armadilloes,  pascas,  and  agou 
tis,  are  his  favorite  dishes,  but  he  readily  eats  deer,  birds, 
turtles,  and  fish,  and  in  case  of  need,  contents  himself  with 
serpents,  toads,  and  Iarva3  of  large  insects  roasted." 

The  general  tenor  of  this  savage  life,  as  well  as  the  con 
struction  of  dwellings,  implements,  boats,  &c.,  is  not  unlike 
what  has  already  been  described  relating  to  the  Indians  of 
Guiana.  The  same  rude  huts  of  palm,  open  or  closed 
upon  the  most  exposed  quarter  by  thatch  or  wicker-work, 
the  hammocks,  the  simplest  form  of  pottery  and  wooden 
vessels,  and  the  almost  invariable  arms  and  weapons  of 
the  savage,  suffice  for  their  necessities,  and  for  what  they 
know  of  luxury  and  comfort. 

Some  of  the  remote  tribes  are  said  to  be  still  addicted 
to  the  old  national  propensity  for  cannibalism.  "  Infanti 
cide  is  still  more  common  ;  and  many  tribes  put  the  aged 
and  infirm  to  death.  Dr.  Von  Martius  states  that  the 
Guaicuru  women  never  rear  any  children  before  their 
thirtieth  year;  the  Guanas  often  bury  their  female  chil 
dren  alive,  and  even  the  mothers  expose  their  new-born 
infants  ;  and  parental  affection  is  a  thing  unknown  on  the 
father's  side." 

Can  we  indulge  any  rational  hope  that  these  barbarous 
nations  will  ever  be  brought,  as  a  distinct  race,  within  the 


INDIAN   TRIBES   OF  BRAZIL.  695 

pale  of  civilization  ;  or  must  the  usual  course  of  extinc 
tion  or  amalgamation  be  the  only  means  by  which  the 
immense  and  luxuriantly  fertile  regions  which  they  inhabit 
shall  eventually  be  improved  for  the  support  of  the  mil 
lions  that  they  are  capable  of  sustaining  ?  The  Iroquois 
within  the  state  of  New  York,  and  the  Cherokee  settle 
ments  west  of  the  Mississippi,  are  almost  the  only  prosper 
ous  and  civilized  districts  inhabited  by  American  Indians. 
It  will  be  a  most  gratifying  result  if  the  next  generation 
shall  witness  the  original  proprietors  of  this  vast  country 
taking,  in  the  persons  of  their  representatives,  an  equal 
place  among  its  European  occupants.  A  right  state  of 
feeling,  upon  the  subject  of  what  is  due  to  the  Indian, 
seems  to  be  upon  the  ascendant  in  the  United  States, 
except  in  those  districts  where  there  is  still  a  conflict  of 
interest  between  the  different  races. 


THE  PAMPAS  INDIANS. 


THEIR  HORSEMANSHIP.  —  THEIR  MODE  OF  LIFE.  — SIR  FRANCIS  HEAD'S 
DESCRIPTIONS  OF  THE  RACE.  —  FEMALE  CAPTIVES  AMONG  THE  IN 
DIANS.  —  TRADING  VISITS  TO  EUROPEAN  SETTLEMENTS.  —  CLASSI 
FICATION  OF  TRIBES. —  CHANGE  IN  THEIR  CONDITION  BY  THE  IN 
TRODUCTION  OF  EUROPEAN  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS. 

THE  vast  plains  or  pampas  of  Buenos  Ayres  are  inhab 
ited —  where  European  settlements  have  not  yet  extended 
—  by  a  wild  and  singular  race  of  Indians.  To  them  the 
horse  is  all  that  the  reindeer  is  to  the  Laplanders,  consti 
tuting  their  chief  support,  and  almost  their  only  enjoyment. 
Nearly  destitute  of  clothing,  and  careless  of  the  ordinary 
conveniences  and  comforts  of  life,  they  are  trained  from 
infancy  to  scour  the  plains,  often  without  saddles,  upon 
the  wild  horses  who  roam  at  will  over  the  boundless  ex 
panse  of  meadow.  The  world  has  never  produced  such 
magnificent  horsemen  :  "  The  Gauchos,"  says  Sir  Francis 
Head,  "  who  themselves  ride  so  beautifully,  all  declare  that 
it  is  impossible  to  ride  with  an  Indian  ;  for  that  the  Indian's 
horses  are  better  than  theirs,  and  also  that  they  have  such 
a  way  of  urging  on  their  horses  by  their  cries,  and  by  a 
peculiar  motion  of  their  bodies,  that  even  if  they  were  to 
change  horses,  the  Indians  would  beat  them.  The  Gau 
chos  all  seemed  to  dread  very  much  the  Indians'  spears. 
They  said  that  some  of  the  Indians  charged  without  either 
saddle  or  bridle,  and  that  in  some  instances  they  were  hang 
ing  almost  under  the  bellies  of  their  horses,  and  shrieking 
so  that  the  horses  were  afraid  to  face  them." 

(696) 


THE   PAMPAS   INDIANS.  697 

The  whole  lives  of  these  singular  people  are  spent  upon 
horseback,  a  natural  result  of  which  is  an  incapacity  for 
other  species  of  exertion.  Walking  is  intolerable  to  them  : 
the  fatigue  and  tediousness  of  such  a  mode  of  travelling 
over  an  unlimited  level,  would  be  disheartening  to  any, 
more  particularly  to  those  who  have  continually  availed 
themselves  of  fhe  services  of  the  horse. 

Something  of  the  ordinary  system  of  Indian  government 
exists  among  the  numerous  tribes,  but  they  are  all  of  un 
settled  and  roving  habits,  shifting  their  quarters  continually 
in  search  of  better  pasturage,  and  subsisting  chiefly  upon 
mares'  flesh.  Wherever  they  betake  themselves,  they 
drive  before  them  great  herds  of  horses,  and  the  skill 
with  which  they  will  catch,  mount,  and  manage  a  fresh 
animal,  when  the  one  they  have  been  riding  is  wearied,  is 
unequalled. 

The  author  above  quoted,  whose  characteristically  graphic 
description  of  a  gallop  across  the  pampas  has  won  so  ex 
tensive  a  reputation,  observes  of  the  Indians  :  "  The  occu 
pation  of  their  lives  is  war,  which  they  consider  is  their 
noble  and  most  natural  employment;  and  they  declare 
that  the  proudest  attitude  of  4he  human  figure  is  when, 
bending  over  his  horse,  man  is  riding  at  his  enemy.  The 
principal  weapon  which  they  use  is  a  spear  eighteen  feet 
long ;  they  manage  it  with  great  dexterity,  and  are  able 
to  give  it  a  tremulous  motion  which  has  often  shaken  the 
sword  from  the  hand  of  their  European  adversaries."  In. 
addition  to  the  spear,  they  make  use,  both  in  war  and 
hunting,  of  a  most  effective  instrument  called  the  ballos. 
This  is  a  species  of  slung-shot,  consisting  of  a  stout  leathern 
thong  with  a  ball  of  lead  attached  to  either  end.  A  terrible 

O 

blow  can  be  struck  with  this  weapon,  and,  as  a  missile, 
the  Indians  use  it  with  great  dexterity  and  effect  within  a 
moderate  range.  The  lasso  or  long  noose  attached  to  the 
saddle,  is  also  an  effective  implement. 

40 


698  INDIAN  RACES   OP   AMERICA. 

Between  them  and  the  Gaucbos,  a  scarcely  less  wild  race 
of  cavaliers,  principally  of  Spanish  descent,  the  most  deadly 
hostility  constantly  prevails.  In  the  exposed  districts,  rude 
fortifications  are  erected  for  the  protection  of  the  white 
inhabitants  against  Indian  incursions.  The  principal  de 
fence  of  these  fortresses  is  said  to  be  a  narrow  ditch,  over 
which  the  Indian  horses,  accustomed  to  the  unobstructed 
level  of  the  prairie,  refuse  to  leap,  and  nothing  could  in 
duce  their  rider  to  attempt  any  thing  upon  foot.  Upon 
occasion  of  a  successful  assault,  the  savages  show  little 
mercy.  All  the  unfortunate  whites  are  murdered,  except 
such  of  the  young  women  as  appear  sufficiently  attractive 
to  make  desirable  wives.  "  Whether  the  poor  girls  can 
ride  or  not,"  says  Head,  "  they  are  instantly  placed  upon 
horses,  and  when  the  hasty  plunder  of  the  hut  is  concluded, 
they  are  driven  away  from  its  smoking  ruins  and  from  the 
horrid  scene  which  surrounds  it." 

"  At  a  pace  which  in  Europe  is  unknown,  they  gallop 
over  the  trackless  regions  before  them,  fed  upon  mares' 
flesh,  sleeping  on  the  ground,  until  they  arrive  in  the  In 
dian's  territory,  when  they  have  instantly  to  adopt  the 
wild  life  of  their  captors.  • 

"  I  was  informed  by  a  very  intelligent  French  officer,  who 
was  of  high  rank  in  the  Peruvian  army,  that  on  friendly 
terms,  he  had  once  passed  through  part  of  the  territory  of 
these  Pampas  Indians,  in  order  to  attack  a  tribe  who  were 
at  war  with  them,  and  that  he  had  met  several  of  the 
young  women  who  had  been  thus  carried  off  by  the  Indians. 

"  He  told  me  that  he  had  offered  to  obtain  permission  for 
them  to  return  to  their  country,  and  that  he  had,  in  addi 
tion,  offered  them  large  sums  of  money  if  they  would,  in 
the  mean  while,  act  as  interpreters  ;  but  they  all  •  replied 
that  no  inducement  in  the  world  should  ever  make  them 
leave  their  husbands,  or  their  children,  and  that  they  were 
quite  delighted  with  the  life?  they  led." 


THE   PAMPAS   INDIANS.  699 

There  is  certainly  something  strangely  fascinating  in  the 
idea  of  a  wild  life,  unfettered  by  the  artificial  restraints 
of  society,  and  the  constant  call  for  exertion  and  care  inci 
dent  to  civilized  existence.  We  see  that  in  a  majority  of 
cases  the  inhabitants  of  even  the  most  desolate  and  inhos 
pitable  regions  of  the  earth,  after  experiencing  the  com 
forts  of  civilization,  are  still  glad  to  return  to  the  scenes 
and  habits  to  which  they  were  early  inured.  It  is  easier 
for  the  educated  and  enlightened  European  to  discard  the 
advantages  which  he  has  inherited,  and  to  adopt  the  hab 
its  and  life  of  the  savage,  especially  in  a  genial  and  spon 
taneously  productive  clime,  than  for  the  latter  to  give  up 
his  wild  freedom  for  the  responsibilities  and  cares  of  civil 
ization. 

In  times  of  peace  the  free  rovers  of  the  South  American 
pampas  make  occasional  visits  to  the  European  towns  and 
settlements'  for  the  purpose  of  trade.  They  bring  in  such 
few  articles  of  peltry,  &c.,  as  they  deal  in,  to  barter  for 
sugar,  "knives,  spurs,  and  liquor."  Delivering  up  all 
their  dangerous  weapons  to  their  chief,  they  devote  them 
selves,  at  first,  to  a  regular  drinking-bout,  after  recovering 
from  which,  they  offer  their  goods  to  the  trades-people. 
They  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  money,  or  the  ordinary 
rules  of  weight  and  measure,  but  designate,  by  some  mark 
of  their  own,  the  quantity  of  the  commodity  they  require 
in  exchange  for  their  own  stock. 

The  Pampas  Indians  are  classified  as  belonging  to  the 
great  Patagonian  or  Pampean  group,  which  is  divided  into 
the  following  nations  :  the  Tehuelche,  Puelche,  Charrua, 
Mbocobi  or  Toba,  Mataguayo,  Abipones,  and  Lengua. 
That  portion  of  which  we  have  been  speaking  in  this  chap 
ter,  consists  principally  of  the  Puelche  :  their  ancestors 
were  found  further  north,  bordering  upon  the  tribes  of 
Paraguay  and  upon  the  first  arrival  and  settlement  of  Euro 
peans  upon  the  La  Plata,  proved  most  formidable  enemies. 


700  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

They  also  inhabited  the  eastern  mountainous  regions  of 
Chili,  where  they  were  allied  to  and  classed  with  the  noble 
and  warlike  Araucanians.  Molina,  in  his  account  of  that 
race,  says  of  the  Puelches  :  "  These,  although  they  con 
form  to  the  general  customs  of  the  nation,  always  discover 
a  greater  rudeness  and  savageness  of  manners.  Their 
name  signifies  Eastern-men.  *  *  The  Araucanians  hold 
these  mountaineers  in  high  estimation  for  the  important 
services  which  they  occasionally  render  them,  and  for  the 
fidelity  which  they  have  always  observed  in  their  alliance 
with  them." 

The  first  town  built  upon  the  site  of  the  present  city  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  in  1534,  was  destroyed  by  the  Indians ; 
and  their  bold  attack  repelled  the  Spanish  adventurers  in 
this  quarter  until  1580.  Even  then  they  renewed  their 
hostilities,  but  the  fall  of  their  chief  cacique  in  battle,  and 
the  more  efficient  fortification  of  the  new  town,  baffled 
them  and  caused  their  entire  defeat. 

In  these  early  times  their  habits  were  of  course  different 
from  what  we  may  now  notice,  as  horses  and  cattle  were 
not  introduced  until  the  arrival  of  Europeans.  The  emu 
or  American  ostrich,  still  an  inhabitant  of  the  Pampas,  the 
deer,  sloth,  and  small  game,  supplied  them  with  food. 
The  unprecedented  natural  increase  of  cattle  and  horses, 
turned  free  to  roam  over  the  rich  grassy  savannahs,  sup 
plied  them  with  entirely  new  resources. 

Those  Indians  of  Buenos  Ayres,  Paraguay,  and  other 
southern  provinces,  who  live  in  the  midst  of  the  white 
settlements,  are  mostly  Christian  converts,  at  least  in  name 
and  the  observance  of  religious  formuke. 

The  extent  to  which  the  different  nations  of  Europe, 
Africa,  and  America  have  become  mixed  in  most  of  the 
South  American  provinces,  renders  any  thing  like  accurate 
enumeration  of  the  amount  of  the  present  Indian  popula 
tion  difficult,  if  not  impossible. 


THE  PATAGONIANS. 


EARLY  EXAGGERATED  REPORTS  CONCERNING  THEM.  —  RACE  TO  WHICH 
THEY  BELONG.  —  NATURE  OF  THE  COUNTRY.  — TERRA  DEL  FUEGO. 
—  GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  AND  CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  INHAB 
ITANTS.  —  CAPTAIN  FITZROY'S  NARRATIVE.  — PHYSICAL  CONFOR 
MATION  OF  THE  NATIVES.  —  SCANTINESS  OF  THEIR  CLOTHING.— 
THEIR  HUTS,  RESOURCES  FOR  FOOD,  ETC.  —  FUEGIANS  CARRIED  TO 
ENGLAND  BY  FITZROY. —  ATTEMPT  AT  THE  INTRODUCTION  OF 
AGRICULTURE  ON  THE  ISLAND.  —  PECHERAIS  DESCRIBED  IN  WILKES' 
NARRATIVE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES'  EXPLORING  EXPEDITION. 

MOST  extravagant  reports  were  circulated,  in  early  times, 
of  the  gigantic  size  of  the  natives  of  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  American  continent.  These  were  not  wholly  fabu 
lous,  but  merely  exaggerations,  as  from  recent  travellers 
we  have  accurate  descriptions  of  various  tribes,  among 
which  the  average  height  of  the  men  greatly  exceeds  that 
of  mankind  in  general.  The  Tehuelches  in  particular, 
although  less  warlike  and  dangerous  than  many  other 
nations,  are  noted  for  their  gigantic  proportions.  They 
are  said  to  be  more  than  six  feet  in  height,  upon  an  aver 
age,  and  some  of  them  considerably  exceed  that  measure. 
They  are  muscular,  and  athletic  in  proportion. 

The  Patagonian  tribes  are  included  under  the  same 
general  classification  with  the  Puelches  of  the  pampas,  and 
the  numerous  nations  further  north,  spread  over  the  vast 
and  indeterminate  region  denominated  Chaco,  between 
Paraguay  and  Chili.  Over  the  extensive  plains,  and  table 
land  between  the  Andes  and  the  eastern  sea-board,  the 

(701) 


702  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

wild  tribes  of  Patagonia  wander  in  undisturbed  freedom. 
Their  manner  of  life  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Pampas  In 
dians  of  Southern  Buenos  Ayres,  as  wild  horses  and  cattle 
have  spread  over  the  northern  parts  of  their  country  in 
almost  equal  abundance.  The  same  fierce,  untamable 
spirit,  and  the  same  carelessness  of  the  comforts  of  life, 
with  ability  to  endure  the  extremes  of  exposure  and  fa 
tigue,  characterize  all  these  races  of  centaurs.  'Even  in 
the  colder  regions  of  the  extreme  south,  little  in  the  way 
of  clothing  is  worn,  and  the  naked  body  of  the  savage  is 
exposed  to  snows  and  storms,  against  which  the  covering 
of  the  European  would  afford  incomplete  protection. 

"  These  men,"  says  Purchas,  speaking  of  those  near  the 
straits  of  Magellan,  "  both  giants  and  others,  went  either 
wholly  naked,  or  so  clothed,  as  they  seemed  not  to  dread 
the  cold,  which  is  yet  there  so  violent,  that  besides  the 
mountain-tops,  always  covered  with  snow,  their  very  sum 
mers,  in  the  midst  thereof,  freeth  them  not  from  ice." 
.  A  great  portion  of  Patagonia  is  sterile  and  barren,  desti 
tute  of  timber,  and  covered  only  with  a  kind  of  coarse  grass, 
or  with  thorny  shrubs.  The  country  rises  in  a  series  of 
terraces  from  the  low  eastern  sea-coast  to  the  range  of  the 
Andes.  The  northern  districts  are  in  many  parts  fertile 
and  heavily  timbered. 

Crossing  the  straits  of  Magellan,  we  find  one  of  the  most 
miserable  and  desolate  countries  on  the  globe.  Terra  del 
Fuego,  the  land  of  fire,  so  called  because  of  the  numerous 
fires  seen  upon  its  coast  by  the  early  navigators,  is  a  cold 
and  barren  island.  The  surface  of  the  country  is  either 
rocky  and  mountainous,  or  of  such  a  cold  and  miry  soil 
as  to  obstruct  travel  and  improvement.  The  forests  are 
rendered  nearly  impassable  by  under-growth.  The  inhab 
itants  are  partly,  as  would  appear,  of  the  same  race  with 
the  Patagonians,  but  as  a  body  they  are  generally  classed 
with  the  Andian  Group,  and  considered  to  have  some 


THE   PATAGONIANS.  703 

affinity  to  the  Araucanians.  "  One  description,"  says 
Pritchard,  "  is  applicable  to  both  nations.  Their  heads  are 
proportionably  large ,  their  faces  round,  with  projecting 
cheek-bones,  large  mouths,  thick  lips,  short  flattened  noses, 
with  wide  nostrils ;  their  eyes  are  horizontally  placed,  and 
not  inclined ;  otherwise  their  countenance  would  approxi 
mate  greatly  to  that  of  the  nomadic  Tartars  :  they  have 
little  beard ;  their  foreheads  are  narrow,  and  falling  back ; 
their  chins  broad  and  short." 

Among  the  most  interesting  accounts  of  these  Indians  is 
that  given  by  Captain  Fitzroy,  in  the  "  Narrative  of  the 
Voyages  of  the  Adventure  and  the  Beagle."  Lieutenant 
Charles  Wilkes,  commander  of  the  United  States'  exploring 
expedition,  has  also  very  graphically  described  the  appear 
ance  and  peculiarities  of  the  people  and  country. 

Fitzroy  estimates  the  whole  population  at  about  three 
thousand  adults.  They  are  divided  into  five  different  tribes 
or  nations,  viz  :  the  Yacanas,  Tekeenicas,  Alikhoolip,  Pe- 
cherais,  and  Huemuls.  The  name  of  Pecherais  was  be 
stowed  by  Bougainville  (as  descriptive  of  their  mode  of  sub 
sistence)  upon  those  coast  Indians  who  have  been  considered 
as  belonging  to  the  Araucanian  family.  The  Yacanas  ap 
pear  to  be  the  same  with  the  neighboring  Patagonians. 

The  separate  tribes  differ  considerably  in  their  physical 
development,  but  the  generality  of  these  islanders  present 
a  wretched  and  miserable  aspect  of  deformity.  Their 
withered  and  emaciated  limbs  are  in  strong  contrast  to  the 
breadth  of  the  chest  and  the  size  of  the  abdomen,  and  the 
squatting  position  always  assumed  by  them  when  at  rest, 
causes  the  skin  of  the  knee-joint  to  become  stretched  and 
loose :  when  standing,  it  hangs  in  unsightly  folds.  Their 
eyes  are  almost  universally  inflamed  and  sore,  from  the  ef 
fects  of  the  smoke  in  their  wigwams.  There  are  few  races 
upon  the  globe  who  bear  so  strongly  the  marks  of  want 
and  destitution. 


704  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

Unlike  the  natives  of  the  cold  climes  of  Northern  Amer 
ica,  the  Fuegians  totally  neglect  the  precaution  of  fortify 
ing  themselves  against  the  severities  of  winter  by  warm 
and  comfortable  clothing.  The  majority  of  the  men  go 
almost  entirely  naked.  A  single  skin  of  the  guanaco  (a 
southern  quadruped  of  the  genus  of  the  llama),  or  of  the 
different  species  of  seal,  thrown  over  the  shoulders,  and, 
in  a  few  instances,  reduced  to  the  semblance  of  a  garment, 
by  a  girdle,  is  all  that  is  seen  in  the  way  of  clothing. 
Some  slight  fillets  are  worn  about  the  head,  rather  from  a 
fancy  for  ornament  than  as  a  covering.  The  females  usu 
ally  wear  an  entire  guanaco  skin,  in  the  loose  fold  of  which, 
above  the  belt,  they  carry  their  infants  :  a  more  convenient 
method  than  that  adopted  in  some  northern  climes,  of  stow- 
the  child  in  the  huge  boot. 

The  huts  which  they  inhabit  are  built  much  after  the 
fashion  of  the  ordinary  Indian  wigwam,  of  poles  bent  to 
gether  at  the  top,  or  of  stiff'  stakes  placed  in  the  form  of  a 
cone.  These  rude  dwellings  are  neither  tight  nor  comforta 
ble  :  they  are  generally  intended  merely  for  temporary  dom 
iciles,  as  the  necessity  for  constant  migration  in  search  of 
the  products  of  the  sea  and  coast,  renders  any  permanent 
settlement  impracticable.  The  arts  of  agriculture  are  en 
tirely  unknown  or  disregarded.  Sundry  attempts  have  been 
made  to  introduce  the  cultivation  of  such  vegetables  as  the 
soil  is  adapted  to  producing,  but  the  ignorance  and  barbar 
ity  of  the  inhabitants  prevented  their  appreciation  of  the 
advantages  which  would  result  from  the  operation,  and  the 
experiments  utterly  failed. 

Most  of  the  Fuegians  are  supplied  with  roughly-construct 
ed  bark  canoes.  In  the  centre  of  these  a  fire  is  always 
kept  burning  upon  a  bed  of  sand  or  clay.  Fire  is  obtained 
by  striking  sparks  from  the  iron  pyrites  upon  a  tinder  pre 
pared  from  some  dried  fungus,  or  moss,  which  materials  are 
always  kept  at  hand  ;  but  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  a  flame 


THE   PATAGONIANS.  705 

by  these  means  is  the  probable  reason  for  their  care  in  pre 
serving  the  embers  in  their  canoes. 

As  we  have  mentioned,  they  raise  no  vegetable  food,  and 
the  natural  products  of  the  country  are  exceedingly  scanty. 
All  that  the  inhabitants  can  procure  to  vary  their  animal 
diet  of  fish,  seals,  shell-fish,  &c.,  consists  of  "  a  few  berries, 
as  the  cranberry,  and  the  berry  of  the  arbutus ;  also  a  fun 
gus  like  the  oak-apple,  which  grows  on  the  birch-tree. 
"With  the  exception  of  these  spontaneous  productions,  and 
dead  whales  thrown  occasionally  upon  the  coast,  the  rest 
of  their  food  must  be  obtained  by  their  own  perseverance, 
activity,  and  sagacity." 

A  race  of  dogs  is  domesticated  among  the  Fuegians,  by 
the  assistance  of  which  the  labor  and  difficulty  of  hunting 
the  guanaco,  otter,  &c.,  is  materially  alleviated.  The  weap 
ons  used  in  war  or  for  the  chase  are  bows  and  arrows,  short? 
bone-headed  lances,  clubs,  and  slings.  The  Fuegians  are 
adepts  in  the  use  of  the  last-mentioned  implement,  and 
hurl  stones  with  great  force  and  accuracy. 

They  have  no  means  of  preserving  a  store  of  provision 
in  times  of  plenty,  and  are  consequently  liable  to  suffer 
greatly  from  famine  when  storms  or  other  causes  cut  them 
off  from  the  usual  resources  of  the  sea.  They  will  some 
times  bury  a  quantity  of  whale's  blubber  in  the  sand,  and 
devour  it  in  an  offensive  condition,  when  pressed  by  hun 
ger.  "  In  Captain  Fitzroy's  narrative  there  is  an  account 
of  a  party  of  the  natives  who  were  in  a  famishing  state, 
on  which  some  of  the  tribe  departed,  observing  that  they 
would  return  in  four  '  sleeps  '  with  a  supply  of  food.  On 
the  fifth  day  they  arrived  in  a  state  of  great  exhaustion, 
each  man  carrying  two  or  three  pieces  of  whale-blubber, 
in  a  half-putrid  state,  and  which  appeared  as  if  it  had  been 
buried  in  the  sand.  A  hole  was  made  in  each  piece,  through 
which  the  man  carrying  it  inserted  his  head  and  neck." 
Report  says  that,  as  a  last  resource,  when  other  food  can- 


706  INDIAN   RACES    OP   AMERICA. 

not  be  obtained,  the  Fuegians  kill  and  feed  upon  the  older 
and  more  unserviceable  members  of  their  own  community. 

The  benevolent  Fitzroy,  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  these  unfortunate  islanders,  made  an  attempt,  in  1830, 
to  effect  some  improvement  in  their  condition.  He  took 
four  of  them  with  him  to  England,  one  of  whom  died  of 
the  small-pox  shortly  after  landing.  The  others  were 
maintained  and  instructed,  at  the  captain's  own  expense, 
until  October  of  the  following  year,  when  he  took  them  on 
board  the  Beagle  to  return  to  their  homes,  and  use  their 
influence  in  introducing  the  arts  and  comforts  of  civiliza 
tion.  One  Matthews  accompanied  them  from  England, 
with  the  purpose  of  assisting  their  efforts  among  their 
countrymen. 

Arriving  at  Terra  del  Fuego,  wigwams  were  built,  and 
.a  garden  was  laid  out  and  planted  with  various  European 
esculents.  Curiosity  and  astonishment  were  the  first  feel 
ings  excited  by  these  operations  ;  but  after  the  departure 
of  the  captain,  the  rude  natives,  unable  to  comprehend  the 
motives  for  the  experiment,  and  incapable  of  appreciating 
the  advantages  in  store  for  them,  destroyed  the  little  plan 
tation.  Jemmy  Button,  the  one  most  particularly  described 
of  those  carried  to  England,  when  seen,  a  few  years  after 
wards,  by  Captain  Fitzroy,  had  nearly  relapsed  into  his 
original  state  of  squalid  barbarity.  Matthews  left  the 
island  upon  the  first  failure  of  the  attempt  at  agriculture. 

Could  there  be  found  men  of  sufficient  self-devotion  to 
be  willing  to  take  up  their  abode  in  such  a  dreary  country, 
there  seems  to  be  reason  to  believe  that  the  Fuegians  might 
be  reclaimed.  They  do  not  lack  sagacity  or  intelligence, 
and  their  memories  are  remarkably  retentive.  It  is  said 
that  "  they  could  repeat  with  perfect  correctness  each  word 
in  any  sentence  addressed  to  them,  and  they  remembered 
such  words  for  some  time." 

The  Fuegians  described  by  Commander  Wilkes,  as  seen 


THE   PATAGONIANS.  707 

at  Orange  Harbor,  were  of  the  Pecherais  tribe.  His  de 
scriptions  correspond  with  those  of  former  voyagers,  but 
their  interest  is  greatly  heightened  by  the  illustrations 
which  accompany  his  valuable  narrative.  "  They  are," 
he  says,  "  an  ill-shapen  and  ugly  race.  They  have  little 
or  no  idea  of  the  relative  value  of  articles,  even  of  those 
that  one  would  suppose  were  of  the  utmost  use  to  them, 
such  as  iron  and  glass-ware.  A  glass  bottle  broken  into 
pieces  is  valued  as  much  as  a  knife.  Red  flannel  torn  into 
.  stripes,  pleases  them  more  than  in  the  piece  ;  they  wound 
it  round  their  heads,  as  a  kind  of  turban,  and  it  was  amus 
ing  to  see  their  satisfaction  at  this  small  acquisition." 

The  Indians  of  this  party  wore  no  other  clothing  than 
a  small  piece  of  seal-skin  appended  to  the  shoulder  and 
reaching  to  the  waist.  This  was  shifted  from  side  to  side 
according  to  the  direction  of  the  wind,  serving  rather  as 
a  shelter  than  a  covering.  Their  bark  canoes  were  of 
exceedingly  slight  construction,  "  sewed  with  shreds  of 
whale-bone,  seal-skin,  and  twigs."  Their  navigation  was 
mostly  confined  to  the  limits  of  the  kelp  or  sea-weed, 
where  the  water  was  calm,  and  they  could  assist  the  oper 
ation  of  their  small  and  inefficient  paddles  by  laying  hold 
of  the  marine  plants. 

Those  natives  who  were  taken  on  board  the  vessels,  ex 
hibited  little  or  no  astonishment  at  what  they  saw  around 
them.  This  did  not  proceed  from  surliness  or  apathy,  for 
they  were  vivacious  and  cheerful,  and  apparently  happy 
and  contented.  A  most  uncontrollable  propensity  to  mim 
icry  prevented  the  establishment  of  any  kind  of  communi 
cation,  as,  instead  of  replying  to  signs  and  gestures,  they 
would  invariably  imitate  them  with  ludicrous  exactness. 
"  Their  imitations  of  sounds  were  truly  astonishing.  One 
of  them  ascended  and  descended  the  octave  perfectly,  fol 
lowing  the  sounds  of  the  violin  correctly.  It  was  then 
found  he  could  sound  the  common  chords,  and  follow 


708  INDIAN   RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

through  the  semitone  scale,  with  scarcely  an  error.  *  *  * 
Although  they  have  been  heard  to  shout  quite  loud,  yet 
they  cannot  endure  a  noise.  When  the  drum  beat,  or  a 
gun  was  fired,  they  invariably  stopped  their  ears.  They 
always  speak  to  each  other  in  a  whisper.  Their  cautious 
manner  and  movements  prove  them  to  be  a  timid  race. 
The  men  are  exceedingly  jealous  of  their  women,  and 
will  not  allow  any  one,  'if  they  can  help  it,  to  enter  their 
huts,  particularly  boys." 

When,  after  some  hesitation,  admittance  was  gained  to 
the  huts  on  shore  :  "  The  men  creeping  in  first,  squatted 
themselves  directly  in  front  of  the  women,  all  holding  out 
the  small  piece  of  seal-skin,  to  allow  the  heat  to  reach  their 
bodies.  The  women  were  squatted  three  deep  behind  the 
men,  the  oldest  in  front,  nestling  the  infants."  Most 
writers  speak  of  the  condition  of  the  Fuegian  women,  par 
ticularly  of  this  race  of  Pecherais,  as  being  subjected  to  the 
most  severe  and  toilsome  drudgery.  "  In.  a  word,"  says 
one,  "  the  Pecherais  women  are,  perhaps,  of  all  the  sav 
age  women  of  America,  those  whose  lot  is  the  hardest." 
Those,  however,  seen  at  Orange  Harbor  had  small  and 
well-shaped  hands  and  feet,  "  and,  from  appearance,  they 
are  not  accustomed  to  do  any  hard  work." 

Some  vague  superstitious  belief  in  dreams,  omens,  &c., 
with  the  idea  of  an  evil  spirit  in  the  embodiment  of  "  a 
great  black  man,  supposed  to  be  always  wandering  about 
the  woods  and  mountains,  who  is  certain  of  knowing 
every  word  and  every  action,  who  cannot  be  escaped,  and 
who  influences  the  weather  according  to  men's  conduct," 
is  all  that  is  observable  of  religious  conceptions  on  the  part 
of  the  natives.  They  have,  connected  with  each  tribe  or 
casual  group,  a  man  whom  their  fancy  invests  with  the 
power  of  sorcerer  and  physician ;  occupying  precisely 
the  same  position  with  that  of  the  "  powwows  "  of  North 
America. 


THE  SIOUX  MASSACRE. 

BY  J.    T.    HEADLEY. 
CHAPTER   I. 

CONDITION  OP  THE  TRIBE  PREVIOUS  TO  THE  OUTBREAK.  -  A 
WARLIKE  TRIBE.  -  CIVILIZATION  COMMENCED.  -  CHURCHES 
AND  SCHOOLS. -CAUSES  OP  THE  OUTBREAK.  -  INJUSTICE  OF 
OUR  GOVERNMENT.  -  BEGINNING  OF  THE  MASSACRE.  -  INHAB 
ITANTS  CALLING  FOR  HELP.  -  LITTLE  CROW.  -  ATTACK  OX 
THE  LOWER  AGE tffc  -  ESCAPE  OF  REV.  MR.  HINDMAN.  -  A 

NOBLE  FERRYMAN^^CUT  NOSE. -TWENTY-FIVE  MASSACRED.  - 
HEART-RENDING  SIGHT.  -  FLIGHT  AND  DEATH  OF  DR.  HUM 
PHREYS.  -  WHOLE  FAMILY  BURNED.  -  DESTRUCTION  OF  CAPT, 
MARSH'S  COMPANY. 


THE  massacre  of  the  whites  in  Minnesota  by  tlie  Sioux 
Indians,  in  August,  1862,  is  one  of  the  bloodiest  that  has 
ever  occurred  in  the  history  of  the  Indian  races  in  North 
America.  In  the  earlier  periods  of  the  country,  the  fron 
tier  settlements  were  constantly  exposed  to  Indian  depre 
dations,  and  their  destruction  at  any  time  seemed  proba 
ble  from  their  comparative  feebleness  and  remoteness 
from  succor;  but  that  the  savage  tribes  should  rise  against 
the  whites  almost  within  sight  of  our  populous  cities,  our 
railrpads  and  steamboats,  was  not  dreamed  of  by  any  one. 

The  Sioux  massacre,  had  it  occurred  in  a  time  of  peace, 
would  havp  moved  the  nation  more  profoundly  than  any 
event  in  our  history,  but  coming  as  it  did  in  the  midbt  of 
one  of  the  moi  t  fearful  civil  wars  the  world  has  ever  seen, 
it  lost  half  its  horrors.  When  our  fathers,  brothers  and 


710  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

sons  were  falling  by  the  tens  of  thousands  in  our  very 
midst,  the  slaughter  of  a  few  hundred  settlers  on  our 
frontier  seemed  comparatively  a  small  evil. 

The  Sioux,  or  Dacotah  Indians,  as  they  have  been 
known  from  time  immemorial,  have  always  been  a  warlike 
tribe,  but  as  civilization  advanced  and  encroached  upon 
them,  their  savage  character  gradually  changed,  and  for 
years  they  had  lived  at  peace  with  their  white  neighbors. 
They  had  step  by  step  receded  before  the  tide  of  emigra 
tion,  selling  their  lands  to  the  government,  until  by  the 
last  treaties,  especially  the  one  ratified  in  I860,  they 
yielded  all  their  possessions  in  Iowa,  Dakota  and  Minne 
sota,  except  a  tract  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  long,  on  the 
Minnesota  river.  In  accordance  with  these  treaties,  a 
large  amount  of  money  and  goods  w^tennually  delivered 
to  them,  and  an  agent  of  the  government  resided  among 
them  to  superintend  the  transaction  of  all  public  business. 
For  the  sake  of  convenience  two  stations  were  established 
for  this  purpose,  one  fourteen  miles  above  Fort  Ridgely,  on 
the  Minnesota  river,  called  the  "Lower,"  or  " Redwood 
Agency,"  and  the  other  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Medi 
cine  river,  known  as  the  "Upper,"  or  "Yellow  Medicine 
Agency."  A  part  of  the  nation,  perhaps  a  hundred  fami 
lies,  had  adopted  civilized  customs,  lived  in  frame-houses, 
dressed  in  coats  and  pantaloons,  attended  churches  and 
schools,  had  plows,  harrows,  and  all  the  agricultural  im 
plements,  and  seemed  fast  merging  into  civilization.  The 
other  portion,  however,  lived  in  huts  on  the  prairie,  and 
retained  their  savage  customs  and  habits. 

A  few  miles  above  the  Yellow  Medicine  were  churches 
and  schools  in  charge  of  Rev.  S.  R.  Riggs  and  Dr.  William 
son,  who  for  a  long  time  had  been  missionaries  among 
liiom.  At  Lac  qui  Parle  was  another  school  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Huggins,  while  trading  po?  is  were  estab 
lished  at  various  points.  Besides  the  whitCb  and  Indians, 


THE  SIOUX   MASSACRE.  711 

a  numerous  race  of  half-breeds  had  sprung  up*  A  good 
road  ran  through  the  reservation,  with  eighteen  well-con 
structed  bridges.  Some  three  thousand  acres  of  this  fur- 
tile  region  had  been  fenced  and  planted,  while  saw  and 
corn-mills  and  brick-yards  were  established  at  the  agencies. 

But  although  matters  seemed  in  this  thriving,  prosper 
ous  condition,  there  had  been  at  various  times,  indications 
of  an  outbreak.  The  large  annuities  paid  them  by  the 
government  furnished  a  tempting  bait  to  unscrupulous 
traders  and  adventurers,  who  managed  from  time  to  time 
to  make  large  fortunes  at  the  expense  of  the  Indian.  On 
two  different  occasions  $2,900  that  had  been  placed  on  a 
table  in  payment  to  some  of  the  chiefs,  was  picked  up  by 
a  half-breed  and  given  to  a  white  man,  and  that  was  the 
last  ever  seen  of  it.  Receipts  were  obtained  on  the  prom 
ise  of  furnishing  horses,  guns,  Ac.  which  were  never  paid. 
Once  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hugh  Tyler,  took  855,000  as 
pay  due  him,  as  he  alleged,  for  getting  a  treaty  through 
the  Senate.  The  $166,000  which  the  Indians  were  to 
receive  for  ceding  their  lands  north  of  the  Minnesota,  they 
never  saw  or  received  a  penny  of  for  four  years,  or  until 
the  very  year  of  the  massacre,  and  then  but  $1,500  worth 
of  goods  were  sent,  and  even  this  was  deducted  from  the 
money  due  them  under  a  former  treaty.  The  Indians, 
indignant  at  the  fraud,  refused  for  a  long  time  to  receive 
them,  and  finally  did  so  only  after  the  government  had 
agreed  to  make  it  right  with  them. 

Things  had  gone  on  in  this  way  until  at  the  outbreak 
tho  annuities  amounted  to  scarcely  fifteen  dollars  a  pi 
of  the  6,200  that  composed  the  tribe.     This  was  not  , 
cieut  to  keep  them  from  starvation,  and  the  v. 
ana  to  the  massacre  numbers  actually  died  from  wan!',,  and 
many  others  only  lived  by  eating  their  1 

>r  and  slighter  causes,  but  such  as  an  In 
{'    •]  5,  licensed  them  against  the  whites,  and  nothing  but 


712  THE   SIOUX   MASSACKE. 

their  poweiiessness  kept  them  from  violence  long  before. 
The  outbreak  of  civil  war  among  us  naturally  excited  in 
their  hearts  the  belief  that  their  day  of  revenge  was  at 
hand.  Said  a  famous  Cherokee  chief,  many  years  ago, 
when  speaking  of  the  wrongs  done  his  nation,  "One  of 
these  days  you  will  be  at  war  among  yourselves,  and  then 
when  you  are  weakened,  we  will  come  down  on  you  like 
the  mountain  wolf  on  the  fold,  and  tear  you  in  pieces." 
Such  thoughts  stirred  the  hearts  of  the  Sioux  braves. 
Besides,  they  did  not  escape  the  war  excitement  that  filled 
the  land.  Recruiting  stations  were  in  their  midst,  and 
companies  of  half-breeds  were  organized  for  the  army. 
This  also  showed  to  them  the  desperate  straits  of  the  gov 
ernment  for  men,  and  its  weakness.  Added  to  all,  the 
wildest  rumors  spread  among  them  of  the  sacking  of  our 
cities  by  the  south,  the  capture  of  Washington,  and  even 
the  President.  All  these  things  tended  to  kindle  the 
sullen  desire  for  revenge  which  for  a  long  time  had  smoul 
dered  in  their  breasts,  into  a  belief  that  their  time  for 
action  had  come. 

About  the  first  of  July  the  young  men  of  the  nation 
formed  a  secret  association,  called  the  "  Soldier's  Lodge," 
the  object  of  which  was  to  control  matters  when  any  thing 
of  great  importance  to  the  nation  occurred.  Yet  all  this 
did  not  alarm  the  whites,  and  the  traders  who  had  come 
to  despise  the  Indians,  would  tell  them  as  Foulon  did  the 
mob  of  Paris  when  they  said  they  were  starving,  to  "EAT 
HAY."  The  very  night  before  the  outbreak,  a  large  coun 
cil  was  held  only  fifteen  miles  from  the  lower  agency,  in 
which  it  was  determined  to  go  the  next  day  to  the  Agency 
and  demand  the  money  due  them,  thence  to  Fort  Ridgely, 
if  refused,  to  St.  Paul;  and  if  necessary,  to  resort  to  vio 
lence  to  secure  their  rights.  It  will  thus  be  seen  "that  the 
whole  nation  was  resting  on  the  bosom  of  a  volcano,  which 
at  any  moment  might  burst  forth  in  a  deluge  of  lire. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  713 

Yet  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  whites  reposed  in  peri'ect 
security ;  the  wholesome  fear  which  kept  the  early  settlers 
on  the  alert,  had  been  laid  to  rest  so  long  that  it  seemed 
impossible  to  rouse  it.  So  complete  was  this  delusion  that 
the  government  agent,  Mr.  Galbraith,  who  visited  the 
entire  reservation  just  before  the  outbreak,  spoke  on  his 
return  with  great  satisfaction  of  the  prosperous  condition 
of  affairs  in  the  tribe. 

Still,  notwithstanding  this  apparent  preparation  of  a 
sudden  uprising,  the  time  and  manner  of  its  occurrence 
seemed  purely  accidental. 

On  the  first  of  August  a  party  of  twenty  Indians  went 
to  the  "Big  Woods,"  an  extensive  forest  about  eighty 
miles  above  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  to  hunt  and  get  a 
wagon  which  a  chief  had  left  the  previous  winter  with 
Captain  Whitcomb.  They  separated  on  the  way,  some 
of  them  going  towards  Acton.  These  got  into  a  quarrel 
a  few  days  after,  accusing  each  other  of  cowardice  for 
being  afraid  of  the  whites.  They  finally  separated,  the 
larger  number  saying  to  four  who  went  off  by  themselves, 
"You  will  see  whether  we  are  brave  or  not,  for  we  are 
going  to  kill  a  white  man."  Soon  after, the  four  heard 
the  others  firing,  and  supposing  they  were  shooting  down 
whites,  said  they  must  kill  some  too,  to  show  that  they 
were  equally  brave.  While  they  were  debating  the  pro 
ject,  they  came  to  Acton.  Here  they  got  into  an  alterca 
tion  with  three  men  named  Jones,  Baker  and  Webster. 
At  length  one  of  the  Indians  proposed  they  should  go  out 
and  shoot  at  a  mark,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  the  guns 
of  the  whites  discharged.  They  did  so,  when  the  Indians, 
after  firing,  carefully  reloaded  their  guns,  and  consulting 
a  moment  together,  appeared  about  to  go  away,  when  they 
suddenly  turned  and  fired,  shooting  down  Jones  and  his 
wife,  and  Baker  and  Webster.  They  then  broke  open 
Jones'  house,  shot  a  young  lady  in  it  named  Miss  Wilson, 

41 


714  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

and  departed.  Mrs.  Webster,  who  was  in  a  covered  wagon 
near  by,  and  Mrs.  Baker,  who  in  her  fright  fell  down  cellar 
and  was  not  noticed,  escaped.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
the  massacre.  The  two  women  crawled  forth  to  find  their 
families  weltering  in  blood.  Hastening  to  the  house  of  a 
.Norwegian  a  few  miles  distant,  they  told  their  horrible 
story,  and  no  man  being  at  home,  a  boy  was  despatched 
to  Ripley,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  where  a  meeting  was 
being  held  to  raise  a  company  of  volunteers  for  the  war. 
Seventy-five  men  were  speedily  assembled  at  the  spot,  and 
hearing  that  the  other  Indians  were  still  in  the  neighbor 
hood,  threatening  violence,  sent  immediately  to  St.  Paul, 
to  the  governor,  for  help. 

The  four  Indians  who  had  begun  the  massacre,  hastened 
to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Eckland,  and  stealing  two  horses, 
mounted  them,  two  on  each  horse,  and  rode  at  a  break 
neck  pace  to  Shakopee's  village,  into  which  they  broke 
before  daylight  with  a  savage  shout.  The  aroused  natives 
were  thrown  into  a  state  of  the  wildest  excitement  at  the 
story  they  told.  One  thing  they  knew  at  once ;  these  mur 
derers  must  be  given  up,  or  the  tribe  held  responsible ; 
and  the  question  arose  what  should  be  done,  surrender 
them  or  fight,  for  there  was  no  alternative.  An  excited, 
angry  discussion  arose  in  the  council  that  was  immediately 
called,  but  the  relatives  of  the  men  declared  they  should 
not  be  given  up.  It  was  finally  agreed,  that  as  it  had 
been  decided  in  council  the  night  previous,  to  go  to  Fort 
Ridgeley,  and  if  necessary  to  St.  Paul,  and  demand  their 
annuity,  they  would  start  before  daylight,  and  taking 
"  Little  Crow"  in  their  way,  consult  with  him  respecting 
their  future  action.  This  was  one  of  the  most  elr.quent 
and  crafty  chieftains  of  the  tribe.  He  had  been  to  Wash 
ington,  had  become  civilized,  dressing  like  a  white  man, 
and  living  i;i  a  brick  house,  and  regarded  himself  as  a 
actable  citizen. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  715 

This  wild  delegation,  mounted  on  horseback,  started 
before  daylight,  and  passing  down  the  river,  roused  the 
Indian  settlers  on  the  way  with  their  shouts  and  war  cries. 
It  needed  but  a  spark  to  fire  the  tinder,  and  all  along  the 
way,  other  Indians  jumped  on  their  horses,  and  joined  the 
wild  cavalcade,  that  kept  increasing  as  it  advanced,  till  a 
hundred  and  fifty  shouting,  yelling  madmen  streamed 
along  the  road.  They  reached  Crow's  house  before  he 
was  up,  and  the  astonished  chieftain,  roused  by  the  war 
cries  that  had  so  often  stirred  him  in  his  youth,  sat  up  in 
his  bed.  Tiie  next  moment  his  room  was  filled  with 
Indians,  and  wrapping  himself  in  his  blanket  he  asked 
the  meaning  of  this  strange  gathering.  Their  story  was 
soon  told.  They  had  now  reached  a  pitch  of  excitement 
where  counsel  was  useless.  They  did  not  want  advice ; 
they  demanded  that  Crow  should  be  their  leader  in  a 
war  against  the  whites.  He  saw  at  once  that  he  must, or 
part  forever  with  his  tribe.  Still,  knowing  the  hazards 
he  run,  the  struggle  within  him  for  a  few  minutes  was 
terrible.  But  his  mind  was  soon  made  up,  and  exclaim 
ing,  "I  am  with  you,"  leaped  from  his  bed.  Sending  off 
swift  couriers  to  other  bands,  he  mounted  his  horse  and 
led  on  the  throng.  It  was  agreed  to  fall  on  the  Agency 
at  once.  But  to  make  the  blow  sudden  and  overwhelm 
ing,  they  decided  to  enter  the  village  quietly  and  in 
squads,  as  though  nothing  unusual  was  on  foot,  and  sta 
tioning  themselves  at  different  points,  wait  a  given  signal, 
which  was  to  be  the  discharge  of  a  single  gun  from  near 
the  flag-staff,  and  then  dash  in  and  commence  their  work 
of  blood.  When  all  was  ready  the  signal  gun  was  fired, 
anci  in  an  instant  the  air  was  filled  with  war  whoops,  and 
the  street  with  painted  demons.  The  startled  inhabitants 
ran  to  the  doors  of  their  houses  and  shops  and  stores,  only 
to  be  shot  down.  The  love  of  plunder  soon  drew  them 
away  from  the  work  of  slaughter,  and  many  of  the  citi- 


716  THE   SIOUX  MASSACRE. 

zens  succeeded  in  escaping.  Among  these  was  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Hindman,  who  lived  in  the  lower  part  of  the  town. 
He  thus  relates  what  he  saw  on  this  morning  which  ush 
ered  in  the  work  of  blood.  u  I  arose  early,  expecting  to 
go  to  Fairbault,  had  just  finished  breakfast,  and  was 
sitting  outside,  smoking  a  pipe,  angl  talking  with  a  mason 
about  a  job  which  he  had  just  finished  upon  the  new 
church  which  I  was  building.  Presently  I  saw  a  number 
of  Indians  passing  down,  nearly  naked,  and  armed  with 
guns.  The  mason  exclaimed,  *I  guess  they  are  going  to 
have  a  dance.'  'No,'  said  Dr.  Humphrey's  son,  who  was 
standing  near  us,  'they  have  guns  and  are  not  going  to 
dance.'  Then  I  noticed,  that  instead  of  going  by,  they 
commenced  sitting  down  on  the  steps  of  various  buildings. 
About  this  time  I  heard  the  guns  in  the  upper  town.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Whipple  said,  he  guessed  the  Chip- 
peways  had  come  over,  and  they  were  having  a  battle. 
He  then  crossed  the  road  to  his  boarding-house.  I  soon 
noticed  that  the  people  at  the  boarding-house,  (who  could 
see  the  upper  stores,)  were  running  down  the  bluff. 
Then  four  Indians  came  down  the  street.  One  of  them 
left  the  others  and  went  into  the  Indian  farmer  Prescott's 
house,  and  came  immediately  out.  Frank  Robertson,  a 
young  clerk  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  followed 
him  out,  looking  very  pale.  I  asked  him  what  was  the 
matter.  He  said  he  did  not  know,  but  that  the  Indian 
told  them  all  to  stay  in  the  house.  He  told  me  he  thought 
there  was  going  to  be  trouble,  and  started  for  Beaver 
Creek,  a  few  miles  above,  where  his  mother  lived. 

"  Soon  '  White  Dog,'  formerly  president  of  the  'Farmer 
Indians,'  ran  past,  very  much  frightened.  I  asked  him 
what  the  matter  was,  and  he  said  there  was  awful  work, 
and  that  he  was  going  to  see  Wabo^lunv  about  it.  Then 
Crow,  with  another  Indian,  went  by  the  gate,  and  I  asked 
Crow  what  was  the  matter.  He  was  usually  very  polite, 


THE   SIOUX  MASSACRE.  717 

but  now  he  made  no  answer,  and  regarding  me  with  a 
savage  look,  went  on  towards  the  stable,  the  next  build 
ing  below. 

"  Just  before,  Wagner  ran  by,  and  I  asked  him  also 
what  the  trouble  was.  He  said  the  Indians  were  going 
to  the  stables  to  steal  horses,  and  that  he  was  going  there 
to  stop  them.  I  told  him  he  had  better  not,  as  I  was 
afraid  there  was  trouble.  He  paid  no  attention  to  what 
I  said.  The  next  I  saw  was  the  Indians  leading  away 
the  horses,  and  Wagner,  and  John  Lamb  and  another 
person  trying  to  prevent  them.  By  this  time  Crow  had 
reached  there,  and  I  heard  him  say  to  the  Indians,  'What 
are  you  doing  ?  Why  don't  you  shoot  these  men  ?  What 
are  you  waiting  for?'  Immediately  the  Indians  fired, 
wounding  Wagner,  who  escaped  across  the  river  to  die, 
and  killing  Lamb  and  the  other  man. 

"Then  I  found  Miss  West,  and  we  started  for  the  ferry. 
After  we  got  about  halfway,  she  ran  into  a  house,  and  I 
lost  sight  of  her. 

"Just  as  I  got  to  Dickerson's  house,  I  came  across  a 
German  who  was  wounded.  I  managed  to  get  him  down 
the  hill  and  put  him  into  a  skiff,  and  we  passed  safely 
over  and  arrived  at  Fort  Bldgeley  about  three  o'clock. 
The  people  were  crossing  the  ferry  rapidly,  and  flying  in 
every  direction." 

The  ferryman,  Mauley,  a  Frenchman,  of  low  origin  and 
among  the  most  common  and  illiterate  of  the  settlers, 
now  showed  himself  to  possess  the  elements  of  a  true 
hero.  Instead  of  flying  with  the  rest,  as  he  might  have 
done  and  saved  his  life,  he  stayed  manfully  at  his  post, 
and  unmoved  amid  the  terror  and  panic  around  him, 
calmly  passed  backward  and  forward,  carrying  tlie  fugi 
tives  over  as  fast  as  he  could.  This  humble  man,  whom 
no  one  cared  for,  suddenly  seemed  to  care  for  every  body 
but  himself.  He  arose  to  that  loftiest  point  of  self-sacri- 


718  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

fice  ever  reached  by  man,  to  give  his  life  for  others.  The 
firing  steadily  drew  nearer,  and  the  shots  began  to  fall 
around  him,  yet  as  long  as  a  fugitive  stood  on  the  shore, 
pleading  for  help,  he  kept  returning  until  no  more  was 
to  bo  saved.  When  the  last  man  was  over,  and  only  in 
furiated  Indians  darkened  the  bank,  a  shot  struck  him, 
and  he  fell  a  true  hero,  though  no  poet  ever  sings  his 
fame.  The  Indians,  enraged  that  he  had  snatched  so 
many  from  their  grasp,  swam  across,  and  tearing  out  his 
bowels,  cut  off  his  head,  hands  and  feet,  and  crammed 
them  into  the  body  and  thus  left  him. 

A  few  miles  from  the  Agency  several  settlers  with  their 
families  had  gathered  together  previous  to  taking  their 
flight.  The  Indians  coming  suddenly  upon  them  poured 
a  volley  into  their  midst,  which  killed  most  of  the  men. 
The  frightened  women  and  children  immediately  huddled 
together  in  the  wagons,  and  bending  down  drew  their 
shawls  and  blankets  over  their  heads  to  shut  out  the  ter 
rible  doom  that  awaited  them.  uCut  Nose"  then  came 
up,  and  while  two  Indians  sprang  to  the  horses'  heads  to 
prevent  them  from  starting  off,  drove  his  tomahawk  de 
liberately  into  the  head  of  each.  A  smothered  skriek 
from  the  survivors,  followed  each  dull,  crushing  blow  of 
the  weapon,  as  they,  powerless  with  terror,  awaited  their 
turn.  Taking  an  infant  from  its  mother's  arms,  Cut  Nose 
handed  it  to  the  Indians,  who  drawing  a  bolt  from  the 
wagon,  drove  it  through  the  body  and  pinned  it  to  the 
fence.  There,  before  the  mother's  eyes,  they  left  it  to 
writhe  and  die  in  agony.  For  a  little  while  they  stood  and 
gloated  over  the  mother's  speechless  misery  at  the  awful 
spectacle,  and  then  chopped  off  her  arms  and  legs  and  left 
her. to  bleed  to  death.  Twenty-five  were  thus  massacred. 
When  all  had  been  disposed  of,  the  savages  kicked  the  mu 
tilated  bodies  out  of  the  wagons,  and  filling  them  with  plun 
der,  sent  them  back  to  be  added  to  the  other  spoils,  and  then 


THE  SIOUX  MASSACRE.  tlD 

pushed  on  to  other  deeds  of  blood.  Coming  up  to  a 
farmer's  house  in  which  were  a  husband  and  wife  and 
two  children,  the  father  fired  at  them  from  the  window. 
Before  he  could  reload,  they  broke  in  with  a  yell.  Find 
ing  no  one  within,  the  family  having  escaped  by  a  back 
way,  they  pursued  after  and  butchered  the  father,  mother 
and  son.  The  daughter,  left  alone,  threw  herself  on  the 
ground,  pretending  to  be  dead.  The  savages,  after  hack 
ing  the  dead  bodies,  seized  her  by  the  feet  to  drag  her 
off,  when  she  instinctively  moved  to  adjust  her  clothes. 
She  was  saved  for  a  worse  fate. 

Dr.  Humphreys,  the  physician,  with  three  little  chil 
dren,  the  oldest  only  twelve  years  old,  got  off,  and  when 
two  miles  distant  stopped  at  a  house  to  rest.  Being  ex 
hausted  and  thirsty,  he  sent  his  little  boy  a  short  distance 
for  some  water.  While  he  was  gone  the  Indians  came  up, 
and  shooting  his  father,  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  burned 
his  mother  and  little  brother  alive.  Frightened  half  to 
death  he  hid  in  some  bushes.  When  the  Indians  left,  he 
crept  forth  and  found  his  father  lying  on  the  ground  with 
his  throat  cut.  Stupefied  with  fear  he  crawled  back  to 
his  hiding  place,  where  he  remained  till  he  was  picked 
up  in  the  afternoon  by  a  band  of  soldiers  sent  from  St. 
Peters.  The  Indians,  having  killed,  captured  or  driven 
away  all  the  whites,  and  filled  the  street  with  plunder, 
applied  the  torch  to  the  buildings,  and  soon  the  summer 
sky  was  red  with  the  conflagration.  Couriers  in  the 
mean  time  had  been  dispatched  to  other  bands,  bearing 
the  war  cry. 

Having  finished  the  work  qf  destruction  at  the  Agency, 
the  savages  streamed  down  the  river,  slaughtering  and 
burning  as  they  went.  As  the  fearful  tidings  spread,  the 
terrified  inhabitants  fled  from  their  homes,  carrying  away 
what  household  stuff  they  could  collect,  but  in  most  cases 
they  were  met  or  overtaken  and  shot  down.  The  plead- 


720  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

ing  cries  of  women  and  children  were  unheeded,  even 
when  made  to  those  whom  they  knew  and  had  olion  be 
friended.  Frenzied  by  their  own  deeds,  and  with  all  the 
long  slumbering  fires  of  their  savage  nature  fully  aroused, 
they  committed  every  act  of  atrocity  that  a  deviliih  inge 
nuity  could  suggest.  A  farmer  and  his  two  sons  were 
engaged  in  stacking  wheat.  Twelve  Indians  approached 
unseen  to  the  fence,  and  from  behind  it  shot  all  three. 
They  then  entered  the  farmer's  house  and  killed  two  of 
the  young  children  in  the  presence  of  their  mother,  who 
was  ill  with  consumption,  and  dragged  the  mother  and 
daughter  miles  away  to  their  camp.  There,  in  the  pres 
ence  of  the  dying  mother,  they  stripped  off  the  daughter's 
clothes,  fastened  her  back  to  the  ground,  and  one  by  one 
violated  her  person,  till  death  came  to  her  relief.  One 
Indian  went  into  a  house  where  a  woman  was  making 
bread.  Her  small  child  was  in  the  cradle.  He  split  the 
mother's  head  open  with  a  tomahawk,  and  then  placed 
the  babe  in  the  hot  oven,  where  he  kept  it  until  nearly 
dead,  when  he  took  it  out  and  beat  out  its  brains  against 
the  wall. 

Children  were  nailed  living  to  tables  and  doors,  and 
knives  and  tomahawks  thrown  at  them  till  they  were 
killed.  The  womb  of  the  pregnant  mother'  was  ripped 
open,  the  palpitating  infant  torn  forth,  cut  into  bits  and 
thrown  into  the  face  of  the  mother.  Whole  families  were 
burned  alive  in  their  homes.  Such  and  similar  deeds  of 
horrid  barbarity  are  recorded  by  Mr.  Heard,  who  has 
published  a  book  on  the  massacre,  and  by  the  newspapers 
of  the  times,  all  of  which  were  verified.  By  noon 
the  news  reached  Fort  Eidgely,  and  Captain  Marsh,  of 
the  Minnesota  Volunteers,  immediately  started  with  forty- 
eight  men  in  wagons,  for  the  scene  of  destruction.  On  the 
way  he  met  terrified  fugitives,  who  told  him  to  turn  back, 
for  the  Indians  outnumbered  him  three  to  one,  and  he  was 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACKE. 


721 


sure  to  be  killed.  He  however  kept  resolutely  on,  and 
reached  the  ferry  opposite  the  Agency,  at  sundown.  The 
Indians  came  down  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and 
a  parley  was  held  through  an  interpreter.  Marsh  said  he 
wished  to  come  across  and  investigate  matters.  They 
declared  he  should  not.  The  banks  of  the  river  were 
lined  with  bushes,  and  while  the  discussion  was  going  on 
a  large  number  of  Indians  secretly  crossed  and  surround 
ed  him,  in  concealed  positions.  Marsh,  at  first,  was  de 
termined  to  cross  at  all  hazards,  but  at  length,  at  the 
earnest  solicitations  of  friends,  who  declared  it  was  cer 
tain  death  to  make  the  attempt,  he  desisted.  But  the 
order  to  his  men  to  wheel  had  hardly  escaped  his  lips, 
when  a  sudden  yell  rose  all  around  him,  and  the  next 
moment  a  tremendous  volley  at  close  range,  was  poured 
into  his  little  band.  Nearly  twenty  fell  at  the  first  fire. 
With  the  survivors  he  stood  his  ground  and  returned  the 
fire.  But  resistance  was  vain;  his  men  dropped  like 
leaves  beside  him,  and  seeing  it  was  hopeless  to  continue 
the  fight,  he  gathered  nine  men  around  him  and  fought 
his  way  out  of  the  circle  of  fire.  But  after  going  two 
miles  down  the  river,  he  found  his  way  to  the  fort  cut 
off,  and -seeing  a  spot  where  he  thought  the  river  could 
be  forded,  he  ordered  his  men  to  plunge  in,  himself  lead 
ing  the  way,  with  his  sword  and  revolver  lifted  above  his 
head.  But  he  soon  got  beyond  his  depth,  and  sunk  to 
rise  no  more.  His  nine  followers  reached  the  fort  in 
safety,  with  the  sad  tidings  of  their  loss. 


722  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ESCAPE  OP  REV.  MR.  RIGGS  AND  DR.  WILLIAMSON.  -  CHASKA, 
PAUL  AND  ENOS,  FAITHFUL  INDIANS  AIDING  RIGGS  AND 
Dtt.  WILLIAMSON  IN  THEIR  ESCAPE.  -  ARRIVAL  AT  BIRCH 
COOLEY.- BURNING  WOMEN  ALIVE.- EXCITEMENT  OF  THE 
PEOPLE.  -  ATTACK  ON  NEW  ULM. -BOARDMAN  AND  JUDGE 
FLANDERAN  DEFEND  NEW  ULM.  -  ATTACK  ON  FORT  RIDGE- 
LY. -DEFENDED  BY  SERGEANT  JONES.  -  INDIANS  DISPERSED 
BY  SHELLS. -TERRIBLE  THUNDER  STORM.  -  LITTLE  CROW 
RENEWING  THE  ATTACK.  -  SLAUGHTERING  OF  MEN,  WOMEN 
AND  CHILDREN.  -  LITTLE  CROW  RE-ENFORCED,  MAKING  THE 
SECOND  ATTACK.  -  EVACUATION  OF  NEW  ULM. 

THE  couriers  which  Little  Crow  had  despatched  to  the 
various  bands,  had  but  to  tell  their  story,  and  the  savages 
were  ready  for  action.  At  the  Upper  Agency,  on  the 
Yellow  Medicine,  tlvere  was  some  hesitation  at  first, 
whether  they  should  kill  the  whites  or  send  them  away 
and  seize  their  property.  In  the  council  that  immediately 
assembled,  "Other  Day,"  a  civilized  Indian,  opposed  all 
violence,  and  told  them  they  were  bringing  ruin  on  the 
whole  tribe.  But  when  the  news  of  Marsh's  overthrow 
was  received,  all  debate  ended,  and  the  war  cry  sounded. 
Other  Day,  seeing  that  the  storm  would  soon  burst  on  the 
Agency,  secretly  informed  the  whites,  who  were  in  pro 
found  ignorance  of  what  occurred,  and  assembling  them, 
sixty-two  in  all,  crossed  the  river,  and  conducted  them  in 
safety  to  the  settlements.  But  for  his  bravery  and  devo 
tion  they  would  have  shared  the  fate  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Lower  Agency.  On  the  same  night  some  Indians 
brought  the  news  to  the  missionary  and  school  station  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Riggs  and  Dr.  Williamson,  six  miles  above  the 
A-gency. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  723 

Although  Little  Crow  in  his  message  had  urged  the 
chiefs  to  massacre  the  whites,  they  hesitated  at  first  what 
course  to  take.  Like  those  at  the  Yellow  Medicine,  they 
were  more  Christianized  than  the  great  majority  of  the 
tribe.  Many  of  them  were  members  of  the  church,  and 
all  had  been  treated  with  uniform  kindness  by  the  mis 
sionaries.  In  sickness  they  had  been  attended  by  them, 
and  when  in  want  had  been  fed  and  clothed.  Tiie  mis 
sionary  houses  were  to  them  like  taverns,  where  they 
came  and  went  as  they  wished,  and  were  never  turned 
away  empty.  Hence,  they  and  their  families,  in  total 
ignorance  of  what  was  going  on,  went  about  their  usual 
avocations  in  perfect  security.  On  Sunday,  when  th£ 
massacre  had  commenced,  they  had  religious  services  as 
usual,  and  it  being  the  regular  communion  Sabbath,  the 
Lord's  supper  was  administered  to  the  Indians  who  com 
posed  the  church.  Though  the  missionaries  know  noth 
ing  of  what  was  on  foot,  they  noticed  that  the  Indians 
acted  strangely.  Their  usual  mock  and  quiet  demeanor 
was  wanting,  and  a  certain  brusque  ness  and  defiant  man 
ner  was  observed.  Still,  nothing  serious  was  apprehend 
ed.  But  after  service,  an  old  squaw  strode  roughly  in 
Mr.  Riggs'  house,  and  demanded  payment  for  the  injury 
one  of  his  hogs  had  done  her  potato  patch.  When  asked 
what  she  wanted,  she  replied  a  calf.  It  being  refused 
her,  she  went  away,  muttering  that  she  would  have  it 
any  way  before  long.  Soon  after,  some  Indians  quietly 
walked  in  Dr.  Williamson's  barn,  and  led  out  two  of  his 
horses;  and  when  the  Dr.  called  after  them,  they  only 
laughed  and  galloped  oil.  Two  others,  following  their 
example,  were  about  to  take  away  those  that  remained, 
when  he  stepped  up  to  them  and  demanded  what  they 
meant  by  treating  him  in  this  manner,  asking  if  ho  had 
not  always  bcmi  kind  to  them,  giving  them  clothes  when 
they  needed  them,  and  fe  eding  them  whenever  they  came 


724  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

to  him  hungry.  They  said  yes,  and  that  they  did  not 
wish  to  harm  him,  but  the  horses  'would  toon  he  taken, 
and  they  might  as  well  have  them  as  any  body  ehe.  All 
this  looked  very  strange;  still  the  missionaries  thought 
it  was  only  a  passing  mood  of  some  discontented  individ 
uals,  and  retired  to  rest  with  a  feeling  of  entire  security. 
The  next  morning,  while  the  flames  were  wrapping  the 
dwellings  of  the  Lower  Agency,  and  the  inhabitants  were 
falling  or  flying  before  the  yelling,  infuriated  savages,  the 
various  members  of  their  families  went  about  their  ordi 
nary  avocations.  Some  went  into  the  hay-field,  some  into 
the  woods  hunting,  others  fishing,  and  some  of  the-  ladies 
jpent  out  to  sketch.  In  the  mean  time,  those  who  re 
mained  at  home,  began  to  feel  the  greatest  alarm.  Some 
friendly  Indians  had  told  them  of  fearful  rumors  of  the 
rising  of  the  Indians  down  the  river,  and  that  the  work 
of  destruction  had  already  commenced.  The  farmer 
Indians,  instead  of  being  at  work,  gathered  in  groups 
around  the  missionary  house,  and  talked  over  the  Lying 
reports  that  kept  reaching  them.  When  the  family 
assembled  again  that  evening,  the  news  of  the  day  was 
eagerly  discussed,  and  they  were  forced  to  admit  that  im 
minent  danger  threatened  them.  Xonc  felt  like  retiring, 
and  the  next  tidings  from  below  were  anxiouily  waited 
for.  Some  of  the  Indians  watched  with  them,  declaring, 
come  what  would,  they  would  stand  by  them  to  the  last. 
Of  these,  however,  Chaska,  Paul,  Ma-za-ku-ta-ma-ni  and 
Enos,  alone  remained  faithful.  Towards  morning,  a  mes 
senger  arrived,  announcing  that  the  massacre  had  actu 
ally  commenced,  and  that  the  tide  of  destruction  was 
rapidly  sweeping  towards  them.  The  greatest  alarm  now 
prevailed,  and  some  proposed  immediate  flight  to  the  fort. 
Others,  however,  thought  it  was  a  mere  "  scare,"  such  as 
had  occurred  a  year  before  when  a  warehouse  was  broken 
open  by  the  Indians;  and  said  it  would  blow  over  ii-  -7,  few 


THE  SIOUX  MASSACRE.  725 

hours.  It  did  not  seem  possible  that  the  Indians  would 
dare  to  come  into  serious  collision  with  the  whites.  But 
with  daylight,  evidences  of  hostile  feelings  multiplied ; 
the  Indians  grew  bolder;  some  of  the  squaws  began  to 
roam  over  the  house,  and  seize  such  articles  as  they  fan 
cied,  paying  no  heed  to  the  questions  asked  them,  what 
it  all  meant.  At  length  they  brought  out  tiie  sugar  bar 
rel,  and  after  helping  themselves  to  what  they  wanted, 
distributed  the  rest  to  those  around.  Others,  catching 
the  contagion,  pulled  off  the  feather  beds  and  ripping 
them  open,  scattered  the  feathers  on  the  floor  and  ground, 
and  sticking  their  heads  through  the  ticking,  walked 
away  with  them,  laughing  insolently  at  the  wonder- 
stricken  whites. 

It  was  now  plainly  time  to  leave,  for  there  was  no  mis 
taking  these  hostile  signs.  Mischief  was  afoot,  and  there 
was  no  telling  how  soon  the  storm  might  burst  upon 
them.  A  wagon  of  hay  was  standing  by  the  barn,  and 
quickly  unloading  this,  they  got  in,  and  guided  by  Chaska, 
were  driven  to  a  ford  of  the  river  but  little  known.  Dr. 
Williamson,  however,  with  his  wife  and  sister,  determined 
to  stay  behind  a  little  longer.  In  the  mean  time,  Mr. 
Riggs  had  also  taken  the  alarm,  and  with  his  party  had 
crossed  the  river,  and  lay  concealed  in  a  thicket  about  a 
mile  distant.  The  Indians  had  discovered  their  flight, 
and  taken  their  wagon  away  from  them,  compelling  them 
to  travel  on  foot.  These,  after  much  search  wore  discov 
ered,  and  the  two  parties  joining,  commenced  their  sad 
march  over  the  prairie.  The  nearest  place  which  could 
afford  them  protection,  was  Fort  Ridgely,  aad  thither 
they  directed  their  steps.  But  fearful  of  mooting  warlike 
Indians  on.  the  main  route,  they  turned  off,  and  wandered 
hither  and  thither,  keeping  only  the  main  direction. 
Dr.  Williamson,  with  his  wife  and  bibter,  boon  became 
convinced  that  it  would  be  certain  death  to  remain  longer, 


726  THE    SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

and  taking  an  ox-cart,  followed  after.  Two  friendly 
Indians,  Lorenzo  and  Chaska,  accompanied  them,  driving 
the  team,  and  telling  all  whom  they  met,  and  who  inquired 
what  was  in  the  cart,  that  they  were  carrying  away  their 
own  goods.  On  one  occasion  a  war  party  met  them,  and 
being  suspicious  that  they  had  something  besides  goods 
under  the  buffalo  robe  with  which  they  had  covered  the 
three  fugitives,  advanced  as  if  to  lift  it,  when  Lorenzo 
stepped  in  between,  and  bringing  his  gun  to  his  side, 
declared  that  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  that  touched 
the  covering.  The  Indians,  not  liking  an  encounter  with 
him,  left,  and  soon  after  struck  the  trail  of  the  first  party. 
Supposing  that  all  had  fled  together,  they  exclaimed, 
"All!  the  tracks  of  Dr.  Williamson  and  Mr.  Riggs!  they 
can't  be  far  off;  we  will  catch  and  kill  them."  Wheel, 
ing,  they  dashed  off  on  the  open  trail,  and  it  Deemed  for 
a  moment  that  the  fate  of  these  missionaries  was  sealed. 
But  just  then  a  heavy  thunder  storm  broke  along  the 
river,  and  the  rain  came  down  in  torrents,  completely 
washing  out  all  traces  of  their  march.  Thinking  that 
better  plunder  was  behind,  which  could  be  secured  with 
less  trouble  than  to  follow  the  blind  trail  of  the  poor  mis 
sionaries,  the  Indians  turned  back  towards  the  Big  Woods. 
Coining  upon  a  farm-house  in  which  were  two  men,  they 
entered  it  and  killed  one  and  sent  a  bullet  through  the 
thigh  of  the  other.  The  wounded  man  immediately  made 
for  the  window,  but  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  jumping  out, 
they  stabbed  him  in  the  back  with  a  butcher  knife.  He, 
however,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  ground,  and  made 
off*  with  the  energy  of  despair.  The  Indians  cliarod  him 
till  exhausted  with  the  loss  of  blood,  he  fell.  Supposing 
he  was  dead,  they  turned  back  for  the  plunder.  The 
wounded  man,  finding  himself  no  longer  pursued,  got  up 
and  limping  forward,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  party 
which  the  Indians  had  left  pursuing  but  a  little  while 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  <-  •' 

before.  His  wounds  were  at  onci)  bound  up,  and  lie  was 
laid  in  the  wagon  and  covered  with  a  shawl.  All  that 
night,  a  cold,  drizzling  rain  soaked  the  suffering  women 
and  children,  yet  they  did  not  permit  a  complaint  to 
escape  them.  The  next  day  they  resumed  their  desolate 
journey,  and  when  night  again  came  on,  the  only  provis 
ions  they  had  left,  was  a  small  piece  of  raw  pork.  Again 
the  pitiless  rain  came  down,  and  these  women  and  chil 
dren,  who  all  their  lives  had  been  accustomed  to  the 
comforts  of  civilization,  lay  the  whole  night  on  the  wet, 
dark  prairie,  watching  for  the  day,  which  they  still  dreaded 
to  see.  The  next  morning  they  started  off,  and  seeing  a 
thicket  in  the  distance,  made  towards  it  through  the  wet 
and  mud,  in  the  hopes  that  they  could  there  find  some 
sticks  with  which  to  cook  a  breakfast,  for  they  were  now 
entirely  out  of  provisions,  except  they  killed  one  of  the 
cattle  they  took  the  precaution  to  bring  vitli  them.  But 
they  soon  discovered  that  several  mur^iiv  creeks  lay 
between  them  and  it,  over  one  of  which  they  had  to 
draw  the  wagon  and  cart  by  hand,  after  making-  a  sort  of 
bridge  by  bending  down  the  reeds  and  grass.  There 
were  only  six  men  in  the  whole  party  of  forty,  and  they 
had  to  cany  over  the  women  and  children  as  they 
best  could.  But  alas,  as  they  approached  the  thicket, 
they  found  that  a  marsh  three  miles  wide  lay  between 
them  and  it.  The  prospect  of  a  breakfast  looked  dim 
enough,  but  some  of  the  women  joined  the  men,  and 
passing  for  the  whole  three  miles  over  the  springy,  and 
at  times  almost  floating  sod,  brought  back  on  their 
shoulders,  sufficient  wood  to  build  a  fire.  They  then 
killed  a  calf,  and  roasting  some  of  the  meat,  assuaged 
the  pangs  of  hunger.  It  was  three  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon,  however,  before  this  hard-earned  breakfast  was 
ready  to  be  eaten. 

The  next  day,  Friday,  about  noon,  they  reached  a  spot 


728  THE   SIOUX    MASSACRE. 

known  as  Birch  Cooley,  about  twenty  miles  from  Fort 
Ridgcly.  Here,  Dr.  Williamson,  with  his  wife  and  sister, 
in  the  ox-cart,  overtook  them.  Here,  too,  they  came  on 
the  track  of  the  destroyer.  Beside  the  fence  near  them, 
lay  a  mother  and  three  children,  dead,  their  bodies  gashed 
and  mutilated  by  the  tomahawk.  A  little  further  on, 
stood  a  solitary  house  in  which  a  sick  woman  lay  when 
the  tidings  came  that  the  Indians  were  approaching. 
Unable  to  leave  her  bed,  her  two  sons  took  up  the  straw 
mattress  on  which  she  lay,  and  putting  it  into  a  wagon, 
drove  off  as  fast  as  they  could,  but  all  too  slowly  for 
their  pursuers.  The  shouts  and  yells  of  the  Indians  were 
borne  to  the  ears  of  those  two  sons,  and  'though  escape 
was  hopeless,  they  refused  to  leave  their  sick  mother. 
The  Indians  dashing  up,  murdered  them  both,  and  then 
pulling  the  mattress  on  to  the  ground,  piled  some  brush 
around  it,  and  setting  it  on  fire,  burned  the  poor  woman 
alive.* 

Never  were  a  people  so  suddenly  awakened  from  a 
dream  of  security,  and  plunged  into  such  hopeless  terror, 
as  the  inhabitants  along  the  Minnesota,  and  throughout 
the  adjoining  country,  during  the  three  or  four  days  after 
the  massacre  at  the  Lower  Agency.  Down  towards  New 
Ulm,  a  large  village  of  1,500  inhabitants,  situated  only 
about  thirty  miles  above  St.  Peters,  and  towards  Fort 
Ridgely,  the  Indians  streamed  in  crowds.  When  the 
news  reached  St.  Peters,  the  alarm  bells  were  rung,  and 
the  people  assembled  in  the  most  intense  excitement  to 
consult  on  what  course  to  pursue. 

In  the  mean  time,  Little  Crow,  the  next  morning  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Lower  Agency,  assembled  three 
hundred,  warriors  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Ridgely, 
preparatory  to  an  attack  upon  it.  Had  he  advanced  at 


*  One  of  the  party  has  jriven  a  full  account  of  this  perilous  juurney  in 
Harper's  Magazine  of  June,  1863. 


r 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  729 

once,  it  must  have  fallen,  for  it  had  a  garrison  of  only 
thirty  men,  and  was  totally  unprepared  for  a  sudden 
assault.  But  that  night,  Galbraith,  with  a  company  of 
men  from  St.  Peter's,  and  Lieut.  Shehan,  with  a  squad 
who  had  been  turned  back  on  their  way  to  Fort  Ripley, 
succeeded  in  getting  into  the  fort,  thus  giving  it  a  suffi 
cient  force  to  offer  a  stout  resistance. 

About  one  hundred  warriors  only  stayed  with  Little 
Crow,  near  the  fort,  while  the  others  roamed  over  the 
country,  plundering  and  slaying.  About  four  hundred 
gathered  around  New  Ulm,  and  began  to  burn  the  build 
ings  in  the  suburbs,  and  sent  their  shots  into  the  streets 
of  the  place,  killing  several  of  the  citizens.  The  utmost 
consternation  prevailed,  for  the  place  was  full  of  women 
and  children,  nearly  five  hundred  fugitives  having  arrived 
from  the  surrounding  country.  The  utter  want  of  organ 
ization  and  proper  leadership,  showed,  that  at  the  first 
bold  dash,  that  crowded  population  would  be  at  the 
mercy  of  the  savages.  The  sun  was  stooping  to  the 
western  horizon,  and  when  darkness  should  envelope  the 
town,  its  terrible  doom  would  be  sealed.  But  at  this 
critical  moment,  a  Mr.  Boardman  from  St.  Peters,  broke 
on  a  wild  gallop  into  the  place  with  fifteen  mounted  men. 
Moving  instantly  outside  of  the  mere  apology  for  a  barri 
cade  which  the  terrified  inhabitants  had  thrown  up,  they 
boldly  attacked  the  Indians,  and  by  their  steady  and 
deliberate  firing,  at  dark  drove  them  back,  and  saved  the 
town.  About  nine  o'clock,  Judge  Flandrean,  from  St. 
Peter's,  arrived  with  a  hundred  more  men,  and  the  people 
took  courage.  The  savages,  baffled  here,  went  to  rein 
force  Little  Crow,  who  now  thinking  himself  strong 
enough,  boldly  attacked  Fort  Ridgely.  The  shouting, 
yelling,  painted  horde,  swarmed  like  demons  around  it, and 
would  doubtless  have  swept  over  its  frail  defences  with  a  ' 
bound  had  it  not  been  for  two  howitzers,  commanded  by 

42 


730  THE  SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

Sergeant  Jones.  As  the  shells  of  these  began  to  burst 
among  them,  they  grew  cautious,  for  they  had  the  terror 
common  to  all  savages,  of  the  big  guns.  But  from  behind 
bushes  and  trees,  and  log-houses  in  the  vicinity,  they  kept 
up  a  perfect  hail-storm  of  bullets,  at  those  working  the 
guns,  which  steadily  thinned  the  garrison.  At  length, 
heaven  seemed  to  interfere  in  their  behalf,  for  a  heavy 
August  thunder-storm  arose,  and  broke  with  terrible  fury 
over  the  fort.  The  successive  peals  crashed  louder  than 
the  cannon,  while  the  rain  came  down  in  a  perfect  deluge. 
The  savages,  alarmed  for  their  ammunition,  wrapped  their 
blankets  around  their  guns,  and  uttering  yells  of  rage, 
scampered  off  for  the  shelter  of  the  woods.  This  was  the 
same  storm  that  saved  Mr.  Riggs  and  Dr.  Williamson. 
This  respite  gave  the  garrison  time  to  get  the  women  and 
children  more  thoroughly  protected,  and  to  throw  up 
stronger  barricades.  The  next  day,  Little  Crow  renewed 
the  attack,  but  with  diminished  numbers,  as  many  had 
gone  away  on  the  pleasanter  and  safer  business  of  plun 
dering  and  massacring  helpless  women  and  children,  and 
ravishing  such  as  suited  their  lusts.  They  scattered  up 
and  down  the  Minnesota  for  a  hundred  miles,  committing 
every  act  of  fiendish  atrocity  which  their  diabolical 
natures  were  capable  of  conceiving.  The  family  at  Red 
Wood,  hearing  that  the  Indians  were  coming  that  way, 
fled  in  two  wagons,  taking  different  directions.  The 
Indians,  meeting  one  party,  killed  them  all,  and  leaving 
them  dead  in  the  road,  drove  back  to  the  house.  Find 
ing  it  deserted,  they  applied  the  torch  to  it,  and  started 
off  after  the  party  in  the  other  wagon,  which  consisted 
of  three  girls  and  a  hired  man.  Overtaking  them,  they 
butchered  the  man  and  one  of  the  girls,  and  struck  a 
knife  into  the  breast  of  another.  They  then  drew  lots 
how  many  should  have  each  of  the  girls.  The  wounded 
one  died  from  the  alternate  abuse  of  sixteen.  Seven  little 


THE   SIOUX  MASSACRE.  7£1 

children,  huddled  together  in  one  bed,  were  all  ruthlessly 
murdered.  Not  content  with  killing,  they  horribly  mu 
tilated  the  bodies.  They  cut  off  one  farmer's  head  after 
they  had  killed  him,  and  laid  it  on  a  table,  and  bracing 
open  the  mouth,  filled  it  with  milk.  They  shut  up 
another  dead  body  with  a  hog,  which  devoured  all  but 
the  bones. 

On  Thursday  night,  after  the  second  attack  on  Fort 
Eidgely,  Crow  returned  to  the  Agency,  where  he  found 
arrived  a  large  body  of  Indians  from  up  the  river,  who 
had  answered  his  summons.  Strengthened  with  these, 
four  hundred  and  fifty  in  all,  he  set  out  next  morning  to 
renew  his  attack  on  the  fort.  But  this  time  the  garrison 
was  prepared  for  them.  The  savages  commenced  the 
attack  with  great  fury,  and  kept  to  their  work  with  un 
flinching  tenacity.  Half  the  resolution  two  days  before 
would  have  captured  it.  They  fired  all  the  buildings 
around  it,  shot  fire-arrows  on  to  the  roofs  of  the  buildings 
within,  climbed  up  the  walls,  poured  in  their  destructive 
volleys  wherever  a  head  appeared,  but  all  in  vain.  But 
since  Monday  the  garrison  had  had  no  communication 
with  the  outside  world.  They  were  getting  worn  out, 
and  it  began  to  be  a  serious  question  how  long  they  could 
stand  this  siege. 

The  utmost  anxiety  was  felt  all  over  the  country  for 
their  safety,  and  every  day  the  people  of  the  state  expected 
to  hear  of  its  overthrow,  and  the  massacre  of  all  within. 
But  discouraged  by  the  failure  of  his  prolonged  and  des 
perate  attack  on  Friday,  in  which  he  had  lost  many  war. 
riors,  and  narrowly  escaped  death  himself,  Crow  drew  off 
his  bands  towards  New  Ulm,  thinking  it  would  be  an 
easier  prize.  Since  the  arrival  of  Flandrean,  the  Indians 
had  left  this  place  unmolested. 

This  sudden  abandonment  of  Fort  Ridgely,  was  most 
providential  for  Rev.  Mr.  Riggs  and  Dr.  Williamson,  and 


732  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

their  party  of  forty  from  above  the  Yellow  Medicine. 
Pushing  out  from  Biich  Cooley,  they  had  on  Friday  night 
arrived  near  the  fort,  wholly  unconscious  of  the  siege, 
and  rejoicing  that  their  dangers  and  toils  were  almost 
over.  Just  after  dark,  they  saw  a  rocket  go  up  from  the 
fort,  and  ignorant  that  it  was  a  signal  of  distress  to  any 
force  that  might  be  approaching,  they  rejoiced  in  the  fond 
belief  that  it  was  to  light  them  in.  One  of  the  party  crept 
on  his  hands  and  knees,  through  the  line  of  fire,  into  the 
fort.  The  commander  of  the  garrison,  surprised  to  see 
him,  told  him  to  hurry  back,  and  tell  the  rest  not  to 
attempt  to  enter  the  fort,  for  it  would  be  certain  death. 
Their  hearts  sunk  in  despair  at  the  message,  and  rather 
than  turn  away  to  the  open  prairie  again,  filled  with  In 
dians,  they  at  first  resolved  to  make  the  attempt  to  get  in. 
But  at  last  they  gave  it  up,  and  moved  sadly  ofi'  into  the 
night,  feeling  that  a  horrible  death  menaced  them  at 
every  step.  Behind  them  the  sky  was  red  with  the  burn 
ing  buildings  around  the  fort,  and  they  pushed  on  into 
the  gloom,  not  knowing  what  was  before  them.  Reach 
ing  a  creek,  a  prolonged  scream  in  the  bushes,  sent  the 
blood  curdling  back  to  every  heart.  However,  there  was 
no  other  course  left  them  but  to  keep  moving  forward, 
for  worse  evils  were  behind  them.  Crossing  the  creek, 
they  went  011  a  little  way^hen  the  exhausted  teams  gave 
out  entirely.  Their  journey  had  come  to  an  end  for  the 
present,  and  placing  a  guard  they  sank  down  in  the  wet 
grass  and  slept.  At  daybreak  they  started  on,  and  though 
the  appearance  of  two  Indians,  who  narrowly  watched 
them,  showed  that  they  had  been  discovered,  the  sudden 
departure  of  the  main  body  for  New  Ulm,  prevented  pur 
suit.  The  vast  booty  at  that  place  was  a  more  tempting 
prize  than  the  little  they  carried. 

Early  that  morning  the  people  of  New  Ulm  ;-aw  huge 
columns  of  smoke  ascending  along  the  banks  of  the  river. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACREo  733 

One  after  another  they  shot  up  into  the  air,  each  one 
nearer  the  town  than  the  other,  showing  that  the  Indians 
were  approaching,  burning  the  farm-houses  and  barns  as 
they  came  on.  Judge  Flandrean,  thinking  he  could  fight 
them  to  more  advantage  011  the  open  prairie,  led  his  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men  out  and  awaited  the  attack.  About 
ten  o'clock,  the-  savages,  several  hundred  strong,  appeared 
in  view,  moving  slowly  over  the  plain,  and  well  packed 
together.  When  they  came  within  a  mile,  they  began  to 
spread  out  swiftly,  and  increasing  their  speed  as  they 
advanced,  at  length  gave  a  wild  yell,  and  came  down  like 
a  whirlwind.  The  assault,  so  sudden  and  bold,  and  ac 
companied  with  such  unearthly  yells,  unnerved  the  raw 
volunteers  at  first,  and  they  fell  rapidly  back  beyond  the 
outer  houses  of  the  town.  They,  however,  soon  rallied, 
but  they  had  given  a  great  advantage  to  the  Indians,  in 
leaving  behind,  the  houses  as  a  cover  to  their  approach. 
It  now  became  a  regular  Indian  fight,  and  those  western 
men  having  got  their  mettle  fairly  roused,  effectually 
resisted  every  attempt  of  the  savages  to  get  into  the  town. 
The  battle-  raged  for  several  hours,  without  any  decisive 
result,  when  the  Indians  made  a  desperate  charge.  The 
whites  received  them  with  a  cheer,  and  charging  in  turn, 
drove  them  helter  skelter  to  cover.  The  fighting,  how 
ever,  was  kept  up  till  dark,  when  the  savages  withdrew. 
The  next  morning  they  renewed  the  attack,  but  not  with 
the  same  determination  as  before,  and  at  noon  abandoned 
it  altogether. 

While  these  struggles  with  large  bodies  of  the  enemy 
were  going  on,  detached  parties  and  single  Indians  were 
roaming  through  the 'settlements,  murdering  men,  women 
and  children,  and  committing  atrocities  of  the  most  diabol 
ical  kind.  Pregnant  women  were  violated  again  and 
again,  and  even  little  girls  abused  till  they  lay  lifeless  on 
the  earth.  One  young  woman  was  ravished  by  sixteen 


734  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

in  succession,  who  then  sharpened  a  stake  and  drove  it  into 
her  body,  leaving  her  to  die  in  the  most  horrible  agony. 
Multitudes  were  taken  prisoners  and  hurried  away  into 
captivity. 

Though  New  Ulm  at  present  was  saved,  the  people  did 
not  know  how  soon  the  Indians  might  return,  and  being 
nearly  out  of  ammunition,  and  the  dead  carcases  around, 
under  the  hot  August  sun,  filling  the  air  with  disease,  it 
was  thought  best  to  abandon  the  place ;  and  the  two  thou 
sand  inhabitants  left  in  a  body,  and  with  a  train  of  a 
hundred  and  fifteen  wagons,  safely  reached  Mankato. 


CHAPTER   III. 

COL.  SIBLEY  MARCHES  TO  THE  RELIEF  OF  FORT  RIDGELY  AND 
NEW  ULM.  -  FIGHT  AT  BIRCH  COOLEY.  -  CROW  ASKS  FOR 
PEACE.  -  DEACON  PAUL  PLEADS  WITH  HIS  TRIBE.  -  COL. 
SIBLEY  ADVANCES  TO  THE  YELLOW  MEDICINES.  -  DLFEATS 
THE  INDIANS.  -  PRISONERS  RESCUED.  -  CAMP  RELEASE.  - 
GUILTY  INDIANS. -MARVELOUS  ESCAPES.  -  WOMEN  OF  NEW 
ULM  ATTACK  THE  PRISONERS.  -  THEIR  EXAMINATION.  - 
THIRTY-EIGHT  TRIED  AND  EXECUTED. -THEIR  BEHAVIOUR 
MOUNTING  THE  SCAFFOLD. 

IN  the  mean  time  Governor  Ramsay  had  been  rousing 
the  state  to  arms.  Luckily,  several  regiments  of  volun 
teers  were  in  the  state,  nearly  ready  to  depart  for  the 
war,  so  that  in  a  few  days  1,400  men  had  assembled  at  St. 
Peters.  Col.  Sibley  was  put  at  the  head  of  these,  and 
marched  at  once  to  the  relief  of  New  Ulm  and  Fort 
Ridgely.  The  former,  we  have  seen,  was  evacuated 
before  he  reached  it.  Moving  without  opposition  over 
the  silent,  desolated  country,  he  reached  the  fort  on  the 
28th  of  the  month,  much  to  the  ioy  of  the  garrison. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  735 

Scattered  over  the  prairie  around,  lay  a  vast  number  of 
black  and  decaying  corpses,  on  which  hogs  and  prairie 
foxes  were  rioting,  and  to  bury  these,  and  also  to  ascer 
tain  in  what  direction  the  Indians  had  gone,  Col.  Sibley 
sent  out  a  detachment  composed  of  a  company  of  infantry 
and  cavalry,  commanded  by  Major  Brown.  This  was  the 
last  day  of  August,  Sunday.  That  day  and  the  next  they 
buried  over  two  hundred  bodies,  and  encamped  at  night 
at  Birch  Cooley,  a  place  admirably  adapted  for  a  surprise. 
But  water  being  convenient  there,  and  not  anticipating 
an  attack,  the  command  pitched  their  tents  without  fear. 
But  Little  Crow,  who  had  moved  with  the  Indian  families 
up  the  river  to  the  Yellow  Medicine  Agency,  for  greater 
safety,  had  been  informed  by  his  scouts  that  New  Ulrn 
was  abandoned.  A  war  party  was  immediately  organized, 
with  a  long  train  of  wagons,  to  go  and  secure  the  plunder. 
On  their  way  down,  the  scouts  discovered  this  detachment 
on  the  march.  Watching  its  progress,  to  ascertain  its 
destination,  they  saw  with  unbounded  delight,  it  quietly 
camp  at  Birch  Cooley.  The  unsuspecting  whites  coralled 
their  horses,  lit  their  camp  fires,  and  lay  down  to  rest. 
Just  as  the  morning  began  to  dawn,  as  the  officer  with 
the  new  relief  was  going  the  rounds,  one  of  the  sentinels 
saw,  in  the  dim  uncertain  light,  the  tall  grass  waving  in 
irregular  lines  up  the  ravine.  He  called  the  officer  back 
to  notice  it.  Just  as  he  did  so,  an  unearthly  yell  sud 
denly  arose  tm  every  side,  and  the  next  moment  a  tem 
pest  of  musket  balls  swept  the  encampment.  Almost  the 
entire  guard  fell  at  the  first  fire,  and  nearly  a  hundred 
horses  dropped  in  their  tracks.  Had  the  Indians  then 
charged,  none  would  have  been  left  to  tell  the  tale  of 
blood,  for  the  whole  camp  was  thrown  into  sudden  con 
fusion.  But  fortunately,  they  held  back,  and  the  men 
rallying,  crawled  forward,  and  sheltering  themselves  as 
best  they  could,  behind  the  living  and  dead  horses  and 


736  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

wagons,  poured  in  a  destructive  lire.  They  lay  two 
together,  and  while  one  was  firing,  the  other,  with  the 
point  of  his  bayonet,  dug  a  hole  in  the  earth,  ladling  out 
the  soil  with  his  tin  cup.  Thus  fighting  and  digging,  they 
at  last  got  well  covered,  and  made  their  shots  tell  on  the 
savages.  They  lay  and  fought  iii  this  way  all  day,  but 
with  their  numbers  steadily  diminishing.  That  morning 
in  the  camp  of  Sibley,  near  the  fort,  the  firing,  though 
some  twenty  miles  distant,  was  distinctly  heard.  Know 
ing  at  once  that  the  detachment  had  been  attacked,  Sibley 
immediately  despatched  a  hundred  and  sixty  men,  with  a 
six  pound  howitzer,  to  its  relief.  Sweeping  rapidly  over 
the  prairies,  they  in  the  afternoon  approached  the  scene 
of  conflict.  The  Indians,  hearing  through  scouts  of  their 
approach,  left  a  few  men  at  Birch  Cooley,  and  hastened 
forward  to  attack  them,  before  they  could  form  a  junction 
with  their  comrades.  Colonel  M.  Phaill,  in  command, 
saw  with  great  uneasiness,  apparently  more  than  a  thou 
sand  Indians  swarming  down  on  his  little  band.  He  im 
mediately  opened  on  them  with  his  howitzer,  which  kept 
them  at  bay,  and  despatched  a  courier  to  Sibley  for  help. 
But  this  commander  was  already  on  the  march.  As  the 
heavy  boom  of  the  cannon  came  rolling  over  the  prairie, 
he  ordered  the  tents  to  be  struck  and  carried  into  the 
fort,  and  just  at  sunset  put  his  whole  force  in  motion. 
That  night,  at  midnight,  they  came  up  to  M.  Phaill,  and 
in  the  morning  the  whole  moved  forward.  The  Indians, 
ignorant  of  the  arrival  of  the  main  army,  came  forth  to 
meet  them,  when  to  their  amazement  they  saw  in  the  early 
sunlight,  long  lines  of  dazzling  steel,  moving  over  the 
prairie.  "Oh!  oh!"  they  cried,  "there  are  five  miles  of 
white  men  coming,"  and  kept  prudently  out  of  range  of 
our  guns.  Shaking  their  blankets  and  brandishing  their 
guns,  they  scurried  hither  and  thither,  with  loud  war- 
whoops.  The  motley  throng  presented  a  picturesque 


THE   SIOUX  MASSACRE.  7o7 

appearance  oil  the  open  prairie,  in  the  early  sunlight. 
Advancing  in  line  of  battle,  firing  as  they  went,  the  troops 
moved  forward,  and  at  last  came  in  sight  of  the  beleaguered 
camp,  though  not  a  living  soul  could  be  seen.  Silent 
tents  and  slaughtered  horses  were  all  that  was  visible. 
As  they  came  near,  the  survivors  arose  from  their  hiding- 
places,  and  gazing  a  moment  at  the  proud  array,  sent  up  a 
wild  shout  of  delight,  and  leaped  into  the  air.  Exhausted, 
without  water,  and  rapidly  diminishing,  a  few  more  hours 
of  delay  would  have  left  them  at  the  mercy  of  the  savages. 
Thirteen  lay  dead  amid  the  tents,  and  sixty  more  were 
wounded.  The  former  were  buried  on  the  spot,  and  the 
wounded  placed  on  a  bedding  of  grass  pulled  from  the 
prairie,  and  carried  to  Fort  Ridgely.  Little  Crow  was 
not  with  this  party,  though  he  started  with  them.  With 
a  smaller  band,  he  went  to  Acton,  where  he  had  a  fight 
with  another  party  of  whites.  When  he  returned  to 
Yellow  Medicine,,  and  learned  what  a  large  force  was 
assembled  against  him  at  the  fort,  he  and  his  warriors 
became  alarmed,  and  a  meeting  of  the  Soldier's  Lodge 
was  called.  At  this  it  was  determined  to  enter  into 
negotiations  for  peace,  and  so  011  Sunday,  two  half-breeds 
with  a  flag  of  truce,  rode  into  camp  in  a  buggy  drawn  by 
a  mule  they  had  stolen  from  that  very  spot  a  few  days 
before.  They  bore  a  letter  from  Little  Crow,  asking  for 
peace.  This  chief,  though  a  great  liar,  was  not  naturally 
cruel,  and  had  opposed  from  the  outset  the  murder  of 
peaceable  settlers,  and  women  and  children.  The  traders 
he  killed  ruthlessly,  as  his  worst  foes.  Besides,  there  was 
no  real  harmony  between  the  upper  and  lower  Indians, 
and  had  not  been  for  a  long  time.  This  breach  had  been 
widened  by  the  unwillingness  of  the  latter  to  make  an 
equal  distribution  of  the  plunder  taken  the  first  day  at 
the  Lower  Agency.  Chief  among  the  disaffected,  though 
not  for  this  reason,  was  Paul,  a  civilized  Indian,  and  hoad 


7C8  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

deacon  of  Mr.  Biggs'  church,  a  brave  and  eloquent  man. 
From  the  first,  he  had  told  the  Indians  that  they  were 
rushing  on  destruction,  for  the  result  of  their  action 
would  be  the  extinction  of  the  tribe.  He  and  his  friends 
were  strenuous  for  peace. 

Little  Crow,  in  his  letter,  stated  that  they  had  been 
fighting  because  they  could  not  get  their  rights,  but 
were  now  willing  to  enter  into  negotiations  for  peace. 
But  Sibley  replied  that  he  would  listen  to  no  terms  until 
the  prisoners  Vere  restored.  But  Crow  saw,  if  this  were 
done,  he  would  lose  the  last  hold  011  the  whites.  Still, 
the  upper  Indians  advised  it  should  be  done.  Council 
after  council  was  held,  in  which  the  debates  grew  stormy, 
and  for  a  while  the  two  parties  threatened  to  come  in 
collision.  Some,  even  advised  to  kill  Paul,  the  boldest 
advocate  of  the  measure,  but  he  openly  defied  them,  say 
ing  that  if  they  killed  him  they  would  have  to  kill  three 
hundred  more  Indians  at  his  back. 

Nothing  came  of  the  negotiations,  and  the  Indians 
remained  at  the  Yellow  Medicine,  and  Sibley  at  Fort 
Ridgely  making  preparations  to  move  against  them. 
More  than  a  fortnight  was  consumed  in  getting  ready, 
which  occasioned  great  impatience  and  loud  complaints 
throughout  the  country.  He,  however,  was  determined 
not  to  move  till  he  was  sure  of  success.  In  the  mean 
time  several  letters  were  clandestinely  received  from  the  • 
friendly  Indians,  promising  their  friendship,  and  quite  a 
number  of  prisoners,  through  their  agency,  succeeded  in 
escaping. 

At  length,  on  the  18th  of  September,  Sibley  took  up 
his  line  of  march,  and  sweeping  over  the  once  fair,  but 
now  blackened  and  desolate  country,  arrived  in  four  days 
within  sight  of  the  ruined  and  charred  building  of  the 
Yellow  Medicine  Agency.  The  Indians  had  destroyed 
the  bridges  along  the  road,  but  these  were  easily  rebuilt, 


THE    SIOUX  MASSACRE.  l&o 

with  the  exception  of  an  important  one  near  the  Yellow 
Medicine  Ravine.  When  the  pioneers  advanced  to  recon 
struct  this,  the  Indians  tired  upon  them.  A  fight  ensued 
in  regular  Indian  fashion,  which  lasted  for  some  time,  but 
was  finally  ended  by  a  gallant  charge  of  Lieut. -Colonel 
Marshall,  at  the  head  of  the  seventh  regiment,  who  drove 
them  like  sheep  before  him.  Had  Sibley  been  furnished, 
as  he  ought  to  have  been,  with  a  large  body  of  cavalry, 
he  would  have  finished  the  war  with  a  blow.  As  it  was, 
this  victory  broke  the  spirit  of  the  tribe.  Little  Crow, 
with  two  hundred  men,  fled  into  Dakotah  territory  and 
scattered.  The  remainder,  with  the  Mission  Indians, 
retained  the  captives,  and  immediately  sent  a  flag  of  truce 
to  Col.  Sibley,  requesting  him  to  come  and  take  them 
before  Little  Crow  could  attack  them  and  carry  off  or  kill 
the  prisoners.  The  army  at  once  took  up  its  line  of 
march,  and  the  next  day  about  noon,  came  in  sight  of  the 
Indian  camp,  composed  of  about  a  hundred  wigwams. 
An  Indian  on  a  pony,  and  carrying  a  bed-sheet  tied  on  a 
pole  as  a  flag  of  truce,  approached,  while  a  white  cloth 
floated  from  the  top  of  almost  every  hut.  The  column, 
marching  slowly  around  them,  encamped  near  the  river. 
The  painted  warriors,  fresh  from  their  carnival  of  blood, 
at  o'nce  came  forward,  smiling  and  offering  to  shakejiands 
with  every  one,  and  expressing  the  most  profound  gratifi 
cation  at  seeing  their  dear  friends,  the  whites,- once  more. 
A  demand  was  instantly  made  for  the  captives,  when  over 
two  hundred  sad,  wan  looking  beings,  some  of  the  women 
and  children  half  naked,  were  led  out.  Tears  rained  down 
their  faces  as  with  clasped  hands  they  raised  their  eyes  to 
their  deliverers.  The  soldiers  were  jubilant,  and  unbound, 
ed  joy  reigned  throughout  the  camp.  Other  captives,  day 
after  day,  were  brought  in,  and  the  tales  they  told  of  hope 
deferred,  suffering  and  abuse,  were  heart-rending.  Death 
had  incessantly  stared  them  in  the  face,  and  often  a  fate 


740  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

worse  than  death  was  offered  them.  Some  had  been 
treated  kindly,  and  among  them  was  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Huggins,  the  missionary  at  Lac  qui  Paiie.  Wholly  un 
conscious  of  danger,  she  was  sitting  in  her  hou^e,  sur 
rounded  with  all  the  comforts  of  civilized  life,  when  three 
Indians,  each  carrying  a  gun,  entered.  They  sat  down, 
and  appeared  to  be  much  interested  in  watching  the 
operations  of  a  sewing  machine,  which  a  young  lady  was 
working.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Huggins  came  to  the  door 
from  the  field,  where  he  had  been  at  work.  The  Indians 
immediately  went  out,  and  the  next  moment  Mrs.  Hug- 
gins  heard  the  report  of  two  guns.  She  had  barely  time 
to  look  up, when  the  Indians  rushed  in,  exclaiming,  "Go 
out;  go  out;  you  shall  live;  but  go  out;  take  nothing 
with  you."  She  hastened  out,  and  there  lay  her  hus 
band,  a  corpse  oil  the  ground.  Providentially  she  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Walking  Spirit,  an  old  chief,  and  friend 
of  her  husband,  in  whose  house  she  remained,  treated 
with  constant  kindness  by  himself  and  family,  until  her 
release.  Some  of  the  escapes  were  most  marvelous,  and 
could  not  be  credited  were  they  not  substantiated  by  the 
most  unimpeachable  testimony.  Among  these,none  were 
more  remarkable  than  that  of  a  boy  named  Burton  East- 
lick,  only  ten  years  of  age.  Left  alone  with  a  little 
brother,  only  five  years  old,  he  started  for  Fort  Ridgely, 
eighty  miles.  He  did  not  know  the  way  thither ;  he  only 
knew  it  was  somewhere  down  the  river,  and  he  set  out  to 
reach  it.  The  spectacle  of  those  two  mere  infants,  on  that 
far  desolate  prairie,  linked  hand  in  hand,  and  turning 
their  little  faces  southward  for  protection,  might  well 
move  the  pity  of  the  great  Father  of  us  all.  With  a  cun 
ning  beyond  his  years,  the  eldest  took  every  precaution 
not  to  be  seen  by  the  Indians.  When  his  little  brother 
became  foot-sore  and  weary,  he  would  take  him  in  his 
arms  and  carry  him  till  he  himself  was  tired  out,  and  then 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

they  would  rest  together.  Living  on  berries  and  such 
fruit  as  they  could  find,  they  traveled  during  the  day, 
and  when  night  caine,  would  lie  down  in  each  other's 
arms,  under  the  open  sky.  Thus  the  brave  little  fellow 
kept  on,  and  encouraging  his  infant  brother  with  all 
kinds  of  promises,  actually  made  the  eighty  miles  in 
safety,  and  reached  the  fort  to  tell  his  marvellous  story. 
If  all  the  incidents  of  this  wonderful  journey — the  shifts 
resorted  to,  and  the  innocent  prattle  by  the  way  could  be 
known  and  related  in  all  their  touching  details,  it  would 
equal  the  strangest  creations  of  fiction. 

In  another  case  a  woman  succeeded  in  getting  out  of 
her  house  with  her  three  children,  undiscovered  by  the 
Indians.  The  youngest  was  an  infant,  and  carrying  this 
in  her  arms,  with  two  little  girls  hanging  on  to  her  dress, 
she  plunged  into  a  thicket;  she  got  off,  and  struck  out 
into  the  prairie,  not  knowing  whither  she  went.  All  day 
this  sad  group  traveled  on,  uncertain  whether  eacli  step 
was  taking  them  nearer  to,  or  farther  from,  safety.  When 
night  came,  the  trembling  mother  laid  down  under  a  bush, 
and  pulling  some  grass  and  leaves  for  the  two  little  girls, 
committed  herself  to  Him  who  hears  the  young  ravens 
when  they  cry.  With  the  morning,  she  resumed  her  dis 
consolate  journey,  oppressed  with  the  fear  that  she  might 
be  going  farther  and  farther  from  home.  Wild  plums 
and  berries  kept  them  from  starvation,  and  thus  they 
traveled  day  after  day,  directing  their  steps  at  random, 
and  looking  in  vain  for  some  familiar  object,  or  sign  of 
human  habitation.  Between  the  miserable  food  she  was 
compelled  to  eat,  and  her  fatigue,  she  could  not  furnish 
her  babe  nourishment,  and  it  gradually  sickened  and 
died.  Tiio  anguish  of  her  heart  as  she  bore  the  little 
sufferer  in  her  arms,  and  her  utter  desolation  as  she  laid 
it  at  last  dead  on  the  prairie,  can  never  be  told.  Gather 
ing  some  leaves  and  grass,  she  covered  it  carefully  from 


742  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

sight,  and  placing  some  sticks  across  the  heap  so  that  the 
wind  should  not  uncover  its  delicate  form,  she  left  it  with 
its  God,  and  with  the  remaining  two,  hurried  away.  She 
wandered  thus,  lost  on  the  prairie,  till  the  summer  ver 
dure  was  gone,  and  the  frosts  of  autumn  robbed  her  of  the 
berries  and  plums,  and  she  had  to  dig  roots  to  keep  her 
self  and  little  girls  alive.  For  seven  weeks  she  roamed 
about  in  this  way,  hoping  each  day  would  bring  her  on 
the  track  of  some  white  man,  before  she  was  discovered 
and  saved.  In  many  cases,  the  women  lost  their  reason, 
and  wandered  around,  unfettered  lunatics,  in  the  thickets, 
until  by  accident  they  were  found.  Others  still,  strolled 
into  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  and  were  murdered  or  sub 
jected  to  a  still  more  cruel  doom.  Many  a  heart-rending 
tale  will  never  be  told,  for  the  tongue  that  could  have 
related  it  is  still  in  death. 

Col.  Sibley  named  his  camp  "  Camp  Release,"  and  as 
soon  as  the  captives  had  been  cared  for,  he  built  in  it  a 
huge  log-pen  for  a  jail.  When  it  was  finished,  a  force 
under  Col.  Crooks  was  dispatched  by  night,  which  quietly 
surrounded  the  Indian  camp,  and  took  all  the  men  pris 
oners,  except  those  known  to  be  true  friends,  and  locked 
them  up,  and  the  next  day  secured  them  with  fetters. 
The  camp  itself,  now  consisting  mostly  of  women  and 
children,  was  removed  to  the  Lower  Agency,  and  finally 
to  Fort  Snelling.  In  the  mean  time,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Marshall,  with  two  hundred  men,  was  sent  on  an  expedi 
tion  into  the  Dakotah  territory.  As  he  was  advancing 
in  the  direction  of  James  river,  lie  heard  that  a  part  of 
Little  Crow's  band  was  encamped  at  Wild  Goose  Nest 
Lake.  Approaching  them  stealthily  by  night,  he  suc 
ceeded  in  capturing  the  whole.  On  his  return,  it  being 
now  late  in  the  season,  it  was  determined  to  return;  so 
October  2Bd,  the  camp  was  broken  up,  and  with  four 
hundred  prisoners,  loaded  twelve  or  fifteen  together,  in 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 


743 


each  wagon,  the  column  took  up  its  lino  of-  march  south 
ward,  towards  Maukato.  As  it  passed  through  New  Ulm, 
011  Sabbath  morning,  the  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  had 
returned,  sallied  forth  with  pitchforks,  hoes,  rakes,  knives, 
guns,  and  brickbats,  in  fact  with  every  missile  they  could 
lay  their  hands  on,  and  fell  with  fierce  imprecations  on 
the  wagons  containing  the  prisoners,  determined  to  save 
the  government  the  trouble  of  hanging  them.  Even  the 
women,  with  the*ir  aprons  full  of  stones,  danced  in  a  per 
fect  frenzy  round  the  wagons,  clamorous  for  a  chance  at 
the  "red  devils,"  as  they  called  them.  One  woman  actu 
ally  pounded  an  Indian  brave  on  his  head  till  he  fell  out 
of  the  wagon.  The  mob,  however,  was  soon  dispersed, 
and  the  column  moved  on  and  encamped  about  two  miles 
from  Mankato,  at  Camp  Lincoln.  In  the  mean  time  a 
military  commission  had  set  at  the  Lower  Agency,  to  try 
the  prisoners.  The  scene  at  the  trial  and  execution  was 
a  strange  mixture  of  the  revolting,  the  sad  and  the  ludi 
crous.  The  childish  subterfuges  and  falsehoods  of  some 
of  these  braves,  whose  sagacity  in  the  field  was  a  match 
for  the  white  man,  were  laughable,  while  the  brutish  in 
difference  and  stolid  depravity  of  others;  were  painful  to 
witness.  The  trial  was  hurried  through,  and  three  hun 
dred  and  three  were  condemned  to  be  hung,  and  eighteen 
to  be  imprisoned  for  life.  The  proceedings  were  sent  to 
Washington  for  ratification.  A  rumor  spreading  that 
mercy  was  to  be  shown  to  the  criminals,  it  aroused  the  deep 
est  feelings  in  the  west,  and  threats  were  even  uttered  to 
take  them  out  of  the  hands  of  the  authorities,  and  give 
them  over  to  popular  vengeance.  A  mob  did  attack  the 
jail,  l^it  was  dispersed  by  the  decision  of  Col.  Miller,  then 
in  command  of  the  camp  at  that  place.  Mr.  Riggs  visited 
the  prisoners  constantly,  and  every  kindness  was  s/iown 
them.  A  very  few,  however,  seemed  to  be  moved  by  it, 
receiving  their  fate  with  the  accustomed  indifference  of 


/I**  THE   SIOUX  MASSACRE. 

the  Indian.  Some  complained  that  they  had  been  4e- 
ceived  by  the  promise  of  mercy  if  they  surrendered  them 
selves,  and  laid  the  blame  of  the  whole  difficulty  on  tli-e 
whites,  who  by  their  injustice  had  forced  them  to  seek 
redress  by  violence. 

After  several  weeks  delay  the  decision  was  received 
from  Washington,  ordering  that  only  thirty-eight  of  the 
whole  number  should  be  executed.  The  26th  day  of  Feb 
ruary  was  fixed  for  the  execution.  These  were  imme 
diately  separated  from  the  rest,  and  their  fate  announced 
to  them.  They  received  it  with  total  indifference — smoking 
all  the  time,  some  even  relighting  their  pipes,  while  the 
sentence  was  being  read. 

The  morning  they  were  to  be  led  out,  they  put  on  extra 
paint  to  decorate  themselves  for  the  occasion,  and  then 
commenced  their  death  song.  The  melancholy  chant, 
now  sinking  into  a  low  wail,  and  again  rising  to  a  shrill, 
exultant  cry,  rang  with  strange  power  through  their  rude 
pris'on.  At  ten  o'clock  they  were  brought  forth,  and 
marched  in  procession  to  the  scaffold.  They  showed  no 
signs  of  fear;  on  the  contrary,  they  "went  eagerly  and 
cheerfully,  even  crowding  and  jostling  each  other,  to  be 
ahead,  just  like  a  lot  of  hungry  boarders  rushing  to  din 
ner  in  a  hotel."  As  they  began  to  ascend  the  scaffold, 
they  again  raised  their  weird  death  song,  and  when  they 
reached  the  top,  broke  out  into  unearthly  shouts.  A  vast 
crowd  had  assembled,  but  all  angry  feelings  were  laid  to 
rest  by  the  painful  spectacle,  and  a  death-like  silence 
reigned  throughout.  When  all  was  ready,  three  slow, 
measured  beats  of  the  drum  broke  the  stillness,  and  with 
a  single  blow,  the  rope  was  cut,  and  the  whole^werc 
launched  into  eternity  together. 

The  execution  of  this  small  number,  seemed  wholly 
inadequate  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  justice,  for  six  hun 
dred  and  forty-four  whites  had  been  massacred  in  cold 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  7-±5 

blood,  and  ninety-three  soldiers  had  fallen  in  the  efforts 
to  repel  the  outbreak.  Perhaps  the  government  thought 
this  inequality  in  the  number  of  sufferers,  fairly  repre 
sented  the  amount  of  actual  guilt  011  both  sides.  To  say 
that  massacres  must  be  avenged,  in  order  to  justify  our 
slaughter  of  Indians,  is  a  logic  that  will  not  stand  before 
the  great  tribunal  of  heaven.  The  amount  of  injustice 
and  wrong-doing  that  provoked  the  savage  to  the  only 
means  of  redress  left  open  to  him,  will  be  reviewed  in  the 
final  adjustment  there.  This  is  but  the  beginning  of 
troubles,  if  the  nation  persists  in  the  policy  it  has  pursued 
for  the  last  thirty  years.  The  Chippeways  are  nearly 
three  times  as  strong  as  the  Sioux,  numbering  some 
four  thousand  warriors  in  the  United  States,  and  about 
as  many  more  in  Canada,  and  they  have  been  more  than 
once  on  the  point  of  an  outbreak,  growing  out  of  the  ac 
tion  at  Washington.  It  becomes  the  people  to  inquire 
why  it  is  that  we  are  scarcely  ever  without  an  Indian  war 
on  our  borders,  while  Canada  has  never  been  cursed  with 
one.  This  single  fact  shows  that  there  is  a  radical  wrong 
in  our  system. 

43 


746  THE  SIOUX   MASSACRE. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

BISHOP  WHIFFLE  ON  THE  OUTBREAK  AND  THE  NATION'S  DUTY 
TO  THE  RED  MEN. -FRESH  MANEUVERS  IN  THE  SPRING.  - 
DEATH  OF  LITTLE  CROW.  -  SIBLEY'S  EXPEDITION  INTO  DA- 
COTAH.  -  DEFEAT  OF  THE  INDIANS  AT  BIG  MOUND. -CAV 
ALRY  CHARGE  AVERTED  BY  A  STROKE  OF  LIGHTNING.  - 
FIGHT  AT  BUFFALO  LAKE. -THE  ARMY  REACHES  THE  MIS 
SOURI.  -  ESCAPE  OF  THE  INDIANS. -RETURN  OF  THE  EXPE 
DITION.  -  FINAL  RESULTS. 

BISHOP  WHIPPLE,  of  Minnesota,  who  foretold  this  very 
outbreak,  and  who  obtained  the  names  of  all  the  bishops 
in  the  Northern  States  to  a  petition  to  the  government  to 
have  justice  done  to  the  red  man,  has  issued  a  noble  ap 
peal  in  their  behalf,  in  which  he  tells  some  humiliating 
truths.  In  speaking  of  this  massacre,  he  says,  "  The  na 
tion  has  heard  of  the  most  fearful  Indian  massacre  in 
history ;  but  those  who  live  remote  from  the  border  can 
have  no  idea  of  the  awful  horrors  which  have  accompanied 
the  desolation  of  two  hundred  miles  of  the  fairest  coun 
try  on  the  earth.  Many  of  these  victims  of  savage  fero 
city  were  my  friends.  They  had  mingled  their  voices 
with  mine  in  prayer ;  they  had  given  me  such  hospitality 
as  can  only  be  found  in  the  log  cabin  of  the  frontier.  It 
fills  my  heart  with  grief,  and  blinds  rny  eyes  with  tears, 
whenever  I  think  of  their  nameless  graves. "  *  *  * 
And  yet  he  adds,  "There  is  not  a  man  in  America  who 
ever  gave  an  hour's  calm  reflection  to  this  subject,  who 
does  not  know  that  our  Indian  system  is  an  organized 
system  of  robbery,  and  has  been  for  years  a  disgrace  to 
the  nation.  *  *  *  It  was  under  this  Indian  system 
that  the  fierce,  warlike  Sioux  were  fitted  and  trained  to 
be  actors  in  this  bloody  drama,  and  the  same  causes  are 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  747 

to-day  slowly  but  surely  preparing  the  way  for  a  Chippe- 
way  war.  The  people  here  on  the  borders,  and 

the  rulers  at  Washington  know  how  that  faith  has  been 
broken.  The  constant  irritation  of  such  a  system  would 
in  time  have  secured  an  Indian  massacre.  It  was  has 
tened  by  the  sale  of  nearly  800,000  acres  of  land,  for 
which  they  never  received  one  farthing,  for  it  was  all 
absorbed  in  claims.  Then  came  the  story  (and  it  was 
true,)  that  half  their  annuity  money  had  also  been  taken 
for  claims.  They  waited  two  months,  mad,  exasperated, 
hungry — the  agent  utterly  powerless  to  undo  the  wrong 
committed  at  Washington — and  they  resolved  on  savage 
vengeance.  For  every  dollar  of  which  they  have  been 
defrauded,  we  shall  pay  ten  dollars  in  the  cost  of  this 
war.  It  has  been  so  for  fifty  years;  it  will  be  so  again. 
God's  retributive  justice  always  has  compelled  a  people 
to  reap  exactly  what  they  have  permitted  to  be  sown. 
*  Deeply  as  our  people  feel  on  the  question  of 
slavery,  they  may  here  see,  on  the  border,  a  system  which 
in  curses  to  body  and  soul,  in  the  loss  of  manhood,  home 
and  heaven,  has  worked  out  a  degradation  to  red  men 
which  slavery  has  never  done  for  the  African  race." 

But  though  the  massacre  had  ended  with  the  flight  of 
Little  Crow,  not  so  the  war.  This  chieftain  made  his 
way  to  near  Devil  Lake,  in  the  Dakotah  territory,  some 
five  hundred  miles  north-west  of  St.  Paul.  Here,  too, 
collected  the  fugitives  who  had  fled  from  the  avenging 
whites,  numbering  in  all  over  four  thousand.  He  spent 
the  winter  in  trying  to  induce  the  neighboring  tribes  to 
join  him,  so  that  in  the  spring  he  could  take  the  field 
again  against  the  whites.  He  also  sent  to  the  British 
forts  for  ammunition,  but  they  refused  to  listen  to  his 
solicitations. 

General  Pope,  after  his  defeat  in  front  of  Washington, 
had  been  assigned  to  the  North- We  stern  Department,  and 


718  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

spent  the  winter  in  organizing  a  large  force  to  penetrate 
into  the  Indian  territory,  and  make  an  utter  end  of  the 
hostile  tribes.  But  before  it  was  ready  to  inarch,  the 
Indians  were  again  on  the  war  path,  and  small  bands 
hovered  along  the  frontier  of  Minnesota,  killing  every 
unarmed  emigrant  or  settler  they  could  come  across. 
Knowing  they  could  not  keep  the  open  field,  they  avoided 
assembling  in  force.  Small  squads,  by  the  secresy  and 
rapidity  of  their  movements,  were  able  to  elude  the 
armed  bodies  of  whites,  that  now  lined  the  border.  They 
thus  succeeded,  during  the  spring,  in  murdering  some 
thirty  whites,  though  not  always  with  impunity.  With 
all  his  cunning  the  Indian  could  not  always  escape  the 
keen  eye  of  the  western  man,  and  here  and  there  a  painted 
corpse  became  the  prey  of  the  prairie  fox.  The  worst 
massacre  during  this  spring,  was  that  of  the  family  of 
Mr.  Dustin,  consisting  of  the  father  and  mother,  two 
children,  and  their  grandmother.  They  were  traveling 
in  a  common  lumber  box  wagon,  when  they  were  suddenly 
attacked,  and  all  killed,  or  left  for  dead,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  one  child,  who  hid  under  the  seat.  They  were 
not  discovered  for  two  days,  and  when  found,  the  head 
less  trunk  of  Mr.  Dustin  was  sitting  braced  up  in  the 
front  part  of  the  wagon,  an  arrow  sticking  in  it,  and  a 
great  gaping  wound,  made  by  a  tomahawk,  in  his  heart. 
The  grandmother  hung  head  downwards  over  the  side  of 
the  wagon,  her  long  hair  clotted  with  blood,  streaming 
to  the  groiind.  The  mother  and  remaining  child  lay  in 
the  wagon,  still  breathing,  but  unable  to  move. 

But  in  the  fore  part  of  July,  Little  Crow  himself  was 
killed,  without  the  least  suspicion  at  the  time,  that  it  was 
he.  Mr.  Lampson  and  his  son  were  passing  along  the 
road,  about  six  miles  from  Hutchinson,  when  they  saw 
two  Indians  picking  berries  in  a  little  opening  in  the 
woods,  on  the  prairie.  Fortunately,  the  Indians  did  not 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  7-1'J' 

see  them,  and  concealing  themselves  behind  some  bushes, 
they  crept  cautiously  forward  till  within  close  rifle  shot, 
when  Mr.  Lampson  took  deliberate  aim  and  fired.  The 
older  Indian  gave  a  sudden  yell,  and  flinging  his  hands 
into  the  air  fell  back  on  the  ground.  Recovering  himself, 
however,  he  began  to  creep  forward  towards  the  spot  from 
which  the  shot  had  come.  Mr.  Lampson  and  his  son  then 
stole  away,  but  being  compelled  to  cross  a  little  open 
space  in  their  retreat,  they  became  exposed,  when  the 
Indian,  partially  lifted  himself  and  fired.  At  the  same 
instant  Mr.  L's  son  discovered  the  Indian,  and  fired  also. 
The  wounded  Indian  fell  back  dead,  while  his  ball  whis 
tled  harmlessly  by  the  father.  The  younger  Indian  now 
also  fired,  and  one  of  the  buck  shot  struck  Mr.  L.  in  the 
shoulder,  fetching  him  to  the  ground.  He  then  jumped 
on  his  horse  and  fled  over  the  prairie.  The  young  Mr. 
L.,  thinking  his  father  dead,  and  supposing  the  woods  to 
be  full  of  Indians,  fled  also,  and  reaching  Hutcliinson  late 
at  night,  gave  the  alarm.  A  company  of  soldiers  at  the 
place  immediately  started  out,  and  on  coming  to  the  spot 
found  the  dead  body  of  the  Indian,  but  could  discover  no 
traces  of  Mr.  Lampson.  He,  after  lying  for  some  time  in 
the  bushes  into  which  he  had  crawled,  and  seeing  no 
signs  of  any  more  Indians  around,  took  a  circuitous  route 
for  home,  where  he  arrived  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing.  The  dead  Indian  was  carried  to  Hutcliinson,  where 
its  singular  appearance  caused  a  good  deal  of  wonder. 
Both  arms  had  been  broken,  and  one  never  set,  while  the 
front  teeth  were  double,  like  the  back  ones.  It  was 
finally  thrown  into  a  pit  amid  the  offals  of  slaughtered 
cattle.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  this  was  the 
body  of  the  famous  Little  Crow,  and  the  young  Indian 
who  escaped  was  his  son.  The  latter  was  subsequently 
captured,  and  revealed  the  fact,  that  the  great  warrior 
and  orator,  his  father,  had  died  in  this  ignominious  way. 


750  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

The  imposing  expedition,  which  in  the  spring  was  to 
end  the  war  by  one  great  blow,  did  not  get  under  way 
until  the  fore  part  of  June.  This  long  delay  caused 
much  dissatisfaction,  for  the  western  people  especially, 
wanted  to  see  swift  vengeance  visited  on  the  Indians,  and 
their  north-western  frontier  no  longer  drenched  in  blood. 
Rumors  were  freely  circulated,  that  rebel  emissaries  were 
among  the  Indians,  stirring  them  up  to  hostilities,  and 
though  utterly  without  foundation,  many  believe  it  to 
this  day. 

Sibley,  who  had  been  made  general  the  previous  fall, 
started  early  in  June  with  an  army,  over  two  thousand 
strong,  for  Devil  Lake,  by  the  way  of  the  Minnesota  river ? 
while  General  Sully,  with  a  large  body  of  cavalry,  moved 
up  the  Missouri,  to  cut  off  the  Indians  as  they  retreated 
before  the  former.  But  the  whole  expedition,  though 
imposing  in  appearance,  was  not  properly  organized  to 
operate  with  success  against  fleet-footed  savages,  who  had 
no  villages  to  burn,  or  fields  to  lay  waste.  For  a  time  it 
threatened  to  be  a  total  failure,  but  Sibley,  having  reached 
Fort  Atchison,  near  Devil  Lake,  left  all  but  1,400  of  his 
men  there,  and  taking  these  and  500  cavalry,  started  off 
on  the  20th  of  July,  in  search  of  the  Indians.  After  four 
days'  march  over  the  prairie,  he  came  upon  a  camp  of 
,them  on  the  uBig  Mound."  Entrenchments  were  imme 
diately  thrown  up  to  protect  the  camp  and  trains,  and  the 
whole  army  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle.  Very  soon  the 
Indians  appeared,  when  some  of  our  scouts  went  forward 
and  began  to  talk  with  them.  Dr.  Weiser,  surgeon,  ob 
serving  this  apparently  friendly  interview,  rode  forward 
and  joined  them,  and  shook  hands  with  one  or  two  In 
dians,  whom  he  had  formerly  seen  on  the  reservation. 
Almost  the  next  moment  an  Indian  stepped  forward,  and 
raising  his  musket,  shot  him  deliberately  through  the 
heart.  The  others  then  scattered,  the  scouts  fired,  and 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  751 

several  shots  were  exchanged.  A  part  of  the  cavalry 
immediately  dashed  forward,  and  the  conflict  bogan. 
The  infantry,  under  Lieut.-Colonel  Marshall,  advanced  up 
a  ravine  that  extended  from  the  camp  to  the  Big  Mound, 
and  the  Indians  fell  back  three  or  four  miles,  pushed 
resolutely  by  the  whites,  till  they  were  driven  out  of  the 
broken  country,  in  which  the  cavalry  could  not  charge, 
into  a  broad  plain.  It  was  a  wild  and  lonely  place  for  a 
fight,  and  while  it  was  raging,  a  thunder  cloud  rolled 
heavily  up  over  the  prairie,  throwing  into  still  stronger 
relief  the  painted  forms,  that  dotted  the  green  surface. 
The  lightning  rent  the  gloom  with  strange  fury,  followed 
by  thunder  claps  that  burst  like  the  report  of  a  thousand 
cannon.  But  the  combatants  did  not  heed  this  wrathful 
gathering  of  the  elements,  and  Col.  M'Phaill,  seeing  the 
Indians  breaking  into  the  plain,  put  himself  at  the  head 
of  two  companies  of  cavalry,  and  ordered  the  bugle  to 
sound  the  charge.  As  the  stirring  strains  rang  over  the 
prairie,  they  dashed  forward,  and  broke  witli  a  shout  into 
the  savage  crowd,  their  sabres  shaking  above  their  heads. 
Just  at  this  moment,  as  if  it  were  an  interposition  from 
heaven,  came  a  blinding  flash  of  lightning,  and  struck 
right  in  the  midst  of  that  charging  body  of  cavalry.  One 
rider  and  his  horse,  while  in  full  gallop,  fell  dead  on  the 
plain.  M'PhailPs  grasp  unloosed  from  his  sword,  and  the 
whole  force  stopped  in  full  career,  as  though  an  earth 
quake  had  opened  at  their  feet,  for  the  peal  of  thunder 
that  followed  seemed  to  rend  the  veryjframe  work  of  na 
ture.  The  charge  was  broken,  and  the  Indians  got  off. 
Before  the  rest  of  the  cavalry  could  be  brought  up,  they 
were  miles  away.  They,  however,  started  in  pursuit,  and 
coining  up  with  them  before  dark,  charged  again  and 
again  on  their  rear,  sabring  a  large  number.  The  In 
dians  had  their  women  and  trains  ahead,  and  fought  des 
perately.  "  One  stalwart  warrior,  with  an  American  flag 


i-jl  THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 

wrapped  around  him,  fired  twice  while  the  cavalry  were 
within  twenty  yards,  charging  upon  him.  He  got  the 
powder  down  but  not  the  ball,  for  the  third  load,  which 
he  discharged  at  the  heart  of  Archy  M'Nee,  of  course, 
without  effect.  He  then  clubbed  his  gun,  and  struck 
Carlson,  nearly  unhorsing  him.  A  dozen  carbine  balls 
were  put  into  him,  and  then  he  had  to  be  sabred  to  finish 
him."*  Lieut.-Col.  Marshall  had  a  narrow  escape  in  this 
fight.  At  the  head  of  the  rangers  he  was  charging  furi 
ously  down  a  slope,  when  the  same  thunder  clap  that  had 
so  suddenly  arrested  the  other  companies,  made  the  ran 
gers  fetch  up  with  a  jerk.  He,  however,  kept  on,  and 
before  he  was  aware  he  was  surrounded  by  a  dozen  In 
dians.  Wheeling  his  horse,  however,  he  dashed  back  to 
his  followers  unhurt. 

The  cavalry  took  twenty-one  .scalps  in  this  fight.  Col. 
M'Phaill  told  his  men  it  was  barbarous  to  take  scalps,  but 
he  would  not  believe  that  any  one  had  killed  an  Indian, 
unless  he  saw  his  scalp. 

The  Indians,  in  their  flight,  threw  away  buffalo  skins 
and  meat  in  immense  quantities,  and  their  trail  looked 
like  that  of  a  routed  army.  Owing  to  a  mistake  in  un 
derstanding  orders,  the  advance  cavalry,  instead  of  pur 
suing  on,  returned  to  camp,  and  thus  gave  the  Indians  a 
long  start  in  advance,  so  that  ten  days  heavy  marching 
had  to  be  endured  before  they  were  come  up  with  again. 
The  army  made  but  three  miles  next  day.  On  the  26th 
it  reached  Dead  Buffalo  Lake  about  noon,  and  went  into 
camp.  Soon  the  Indians  were  seen  in  the  distance,  ad 
vancing  towards  them,  when  the  six  pounders  were  pushed 
forward  a  half  a  mile  to  a  hill,  to  hold  them  in  check. 
The  former  kept  out  of  range,  but  all  the  knolls  around 
were  covered  with  them,  watching  our  movements,  and 
looking  to  find  a  place  where  they  could  make  a  success- 

*  St.  Paul  Press. 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE.  li^o 

ful  dash.  Thus  several  hours  passed  away,  when  a  large 
body  on  ponies,  suddenly  appeared  on  the  north  side  of 
the  camp,  and  came  down  like  the  wind.  But  their 
movomont  being  observed  by  two  companies  of  cavalry, 
they  sprang  forward  to  the  sound  of  the  bugle,  and  came 
down  on  a  tearing  gallop.  The  Indians  did  not  wait  for 
the  shock,  but  wheeling  their  ponies,  made  o.T  at  the  top 
of  their  speed,  but  not  fast-enough  to  escape  the  revolver 
and  carbine,  which  rolled  several  of  them  over  on  the 
prairie. 

The  next  day  the  march  was  resumed,  the  trail  being 
plainly  marked  by  the  skins  and  other  articles,  that  cum 
bering  their  flight  had  been  thrown  away.  The  following 
morning,  as  they  were  winding  around  a  small  lake,  they 
suddenly  came  upon  two  thousand  warriors,  who  were 
moving  rapidly  back,  as  if  to  get  in  their  rear.  The  artil 
lery  was  hurried  forward  and  opened  011  them,  and  the 
line  of  battle  quickly  formed.  The  Indians  had  evidently 
intended  a  surprise,  but  finding  the  troops  prepared  to 
receive  them,  began  to  hesitate.  Then  seeing  the  column 
resume  its  forward  march,  pressing  in  the  direction  of 
their  camp,  they  wheeled  and  passed  out  of  sight.  This 
day,  a  boy  and  an  old  squaw  were  taken  captive,  the  only 
prisoners  that  were  spared.  The  remembrance  of  the 
bloody  massacres  were  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  sol 
diers,  and  they  gave  no  quarter.  The  cry  for  mercy  was 
in  every  instance  hushed  by  the  flashing  sabre,  cleaving 
the  suppliant  to  the  earth.  A  wounded  Indian,  in  one 
instance  tried  to  escape,  by  hanging  on  to  the  tail  of  his 
pcuy,  but  a  carbine  shot  striking  the  animal,  he  was  over 
take  LI  by  a  trooper,  who  drew  his  revolver  upon  him. 
But  tho  piece  missing  fire,  the  savage  turned  and  shot 
him.  At  the  same  instant,  a  shot  from  a  scout  pierced 
the  savage,  and  he  fell  in  the  agonies  of  death.  The  dead 
trooper's  comrade  coming  up,  dismounted  and  tore  the 


754 


THE   SIOUX   MASSACRE. 


scalp  of  the  Indian  from  his  head,  while  he  was  still 
breathing. 

After  the  last  fight,  the  column  kept  on  unmolested 
until  it  reached,  on  the  24th,  the  banks  of  the  Missouri 
river.  The  Indians,  during  the  night  had  got  their  fam 
ilies  over,  but  their  wagon  train,  composed  of  over  a 
hundred  teams,  was  left  on  the  bank,  and  fell  into  our 
hands.  The  army  went  into  Gamp  here  for  two  days,  and 
then  started  on  its  homeward  march.  It  would  take  two 
or  three  days  at  least  to  cross  the  river,  while  but  fifteen 
days'  rations  were  left,  and  a  vast  prairie  had  to  be  trav 
ersed  before  other  supplies  could  be  reached. 

Not  as  much  had  been  accomplished  as  was  anticipated, 
and  to  the  public  the  results  seemed  but  a  poor  equivalent 
for  the  expense  of  the  expedition.  Still,  the  Indian  sup 
plies  for  the  season  had  been  destroyed,  together  with 
their  means  of  transportation,  and  over  a  hundred  war 
riors  killed.  Under  the  circumstances,  it  is  difficult  to 
see  how  more  could  have  been  accomplished ;  the  troops 
had  certainly  behaved  well,  driving  the  Indians  wherever 
they  found  them,  and  meeting  the  hardships  of  the  cam 
paign  with  unflinching  fortitude.  They  had  marched  six 
hundred  miles  from  St.  Paul,  and  all  this  distance  had 
now  to  be  traversed  again. 

The  power  of  the  Sioux  tribe  is  broken,  but  whether 
they  will  be  able  to  enlist  in  their  favor  other  powerful 
tribes  on  our  frontier,  will  probably  depend  very  much 
on  circumstances.  Our  Indian  wars  are  proverbially  long 
ones,  and  unless  we  change  our  policy  entirely,  our 
troubles  from  this  source  have  only  as  yet  begun.  As 
we  drive  them  back  before  our  advancing  civilization,  we 
concentrate  them,  and  at  some  future  time,  a  Pontiac  or 
Tecumseh  may  band  them  together,  and  present  a  for 
midable  array  along  our  frontier,  and  another  bloody 
«;hapter  in  our  border  history  be  opened.  That  they  are 


THE  SIOUX   MASSACRE.  <^>O 

doomed  to  extinction  is  evident,  but  the  stern  retributive 
justice  of  heaven,  in  the  mean  time,  may  exact  its  full 
measure  of  _punishment  from  the  nation  for  its  misuse  of 
power,  and  its  cruel  treatment  of  a  barbarous,  degraded 
race,  which  providence  has  placed  in  our  charge.  The 
trust  thus  reposed  in  us  must  be  met  in  a  different  spirit 
from  what  it  has  been,  or  a  day  of  reckoning  will  be 
required.  Proud  of  our  strength,  it  may  seem  a  matter 
of  indifference  to  us,  whether  we  are  just  or  not  to  the 
feeble  and  helpless,  but  the  Great  Father  of  us^all,  meas 
ures  things  by  a  different  standard  than  short-sighted  man, 
and  in  the  end  sets  all  things  even. 


IMPORTANT  EEAS  AND  DATES 


INTERESTING  EVENTS  IN  INDIAN  HISTORY 


A.  D. 

544.  THE  Toltecs,  according  to   ancient  traditions,   commenced  their 

migration  from  the  north  to  the  vale  of  Anahuac,  or  Mexico. 
648.  The  Toltecs  arrived  at  Tollantzinco,  in  Anahuac. 
932.  Eirek  the  Red  discovered  Greenland,  and  planted  a  colony  there. 
985.  Biarni  Heriulfson  discovered  the  American  coast. 
1008.  Thorfinn  Karlsefni  planted  a  colony  in  New  England. 
1051.  The  Toltecs  destroyed  by  a  pestilence. 

1070.  The  barbarous  nation  of  the  Chichimecas  succeeded  the  Toltecs. 
1 170.  The  Nahuatlacas,  or  Seven  Tribes,  among  whom  were  the  Aztecs, 

commenced  their  migration  from  the  north. 
1325.  The  Aztecs  founded  the  city  of  ancient  Mexico. 
1492.  Oct.  12.  Columbus  landed  at  Guanahani,  or  Cat  Island,  on  his  first 

voyage  of  discovery. 

1498.  Columbus  first  touched  the  shores  of  South  America,  and  held  in 
tercourse  with  the  Arawaks. 

1500.  Jan.  26.  Vicente  Pinzon  landed  near  Cape  St.  Augustine,  at  the 

eastern  extremity  of  South  America,  and  took  formal  possession. 

1501.  Portuguese  discoverers,  under  Vespucius,  landed  at  Brazil. 
1509.  Juan  de  Solis  slain  by  the  natives  at  the  estuary  of  La  Plata. 

1518.  L.  Velasquez  de  Ayllon  landed  on  the  Carolina  coast  in  search  of 

Indian  slaves  and  gold. 

1519.  Nov.  8.  Cortez  entered  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  held  his  first  inter 

view  with  the  Emperor  Montezuma. 

1520.  Night  of  July  1.  The  « Noche  Triste,"  on  which  the  Spaniards 

made  their  disastrous  retreat  from  the  city  of  Mexico. 

1521.  Towards  the  close  of  May,  the  Spaniards,  with  reinforcements,  hav 

ing  again  advanced  upon  the  Aztec  capital,  laid  close  siege  to  it. 
"     Aug.  13.  Gautimozin,   successor   to   Montezuma,  was  taken  pris 
oner,  and  the  city  fell  into  the  power  of  the  Spanish  invaders. 

1524.  Nov.  Francisco  Pizarro  sailed  on  his  first  expedition  to  Peru. 

1528.  Expedition  of  Pamphilo  de  Narvaez  to  Florida,  with  a  party  of 
four  hundred  men.  About  forty  horses  were  landed  —  the  first 
ever  seen  by  the  natives. 

1531.  Pizarro  landed  and  established  himself  in  Peru. 

1532.  Nov.  15.  Entry  of  Pizarro  into  Caxamalca,  and  first  interview  of 

his  officers  with  the  Inca,  Atahuallpa. 
"     Nov.  16.  Horrible  massacre  of  the  Indians,  and  seizure  of  the  Inca. 

1533.  Aug.  29.  Atahuallpa  infamously  put  to  death,  by  the  garrotte. 
"     Nov.  Entry  of  the  Spaniards  into  Cuzco,  the  capital  of  Peru. 

1535.  Almagro's  expedition  into  Chili. 

(757) 


758  INDIAN  RACES  OP  AMERICA. 

A.  D. 

1538.  May.  Fernando  de  Soto  landed  at  Tampa  Bay.  The  bloody  scenes 
attendant  upon  the  conquest  of  Florida  ensued. 

1540.  Pedro  Valdivia's  invasion  of  Chili. 

1552.  His  progress  through  Arauco. 

1553*.  Dec.  3.  Great  battle  between  the  Spaniards  and  the  Araucanians, 
in  which  the  latter,  under  Caupolican,  gained  a  signal  victory. 

1555.  The  Spanish  town  of  Conception  attacked  and  destroyed  by  the 

Araucanians,  under  Lautaro. 

1556.  Lautaro  surprised  and  slain  by  Villagran. 

1558.  Expedition  of  Garcia  de  Mendoza  to  the  archipelago  of  Chiloe. 
1562.  French  refugees  settled  peaceably  among  the  Indians  on  the  St. 
John's  river,  Florida. 

1584.  Amidas  and  Barlow  opened  a  friendly  intercourse  with  the  Virginia 

Indians. 

1585.  Those  belonging  to   Sir  Richard  Grenville's  expedition  to  Virginia 

commenced  outrages  and  hostilities,  which  resulted  in  the  destruc 
tion  of  several  successive  colonies. 

1595.  Raleigh  entered  the  Orinoco,  and  held  intercourse  with  the  natives. 

1598.  Nov.  Great  rising  of  the  Chilians,  under  the  Toqui  Paillamachu : 
expulsion  of  the  Spaniards  from  the  Araucanian  territory. 

1606.  Bartholomew  Gosnoll's  expedition  to  Virginia,  with  which  the  cele 
brated  Captain  John  Smith  was  connected. 

1608.  June.  Smith's  exploration  of  the  Chesapeake ;  his  first  meeting 

with  the  Massawomekes,  or  Iroquois. 
"     In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  Powhatan  was  formally  crowned  —  the 

regalia  having  been  sent  over  from  England. 

"     Dec.  Powhatan's  conspiracy  against  Smith  and  his  party,  and  their 
preservation  by  Pocahontas. 

1613.  Pocahontas  seized  and  detained  by  Captain  Argall. 
"     April.  Marriage  of  Pocahontas  to  John  Ilolfe. 

1614.  Thomas  Hunt  landed  at  Monhegan,  and  enticed  twenty-four  In 

dians  on  board  his  vessel,  whom  he  carried  to  Europe  as  slaves. 

1617.  Pocahontas  died,  at  Gravesend,  in  England. 

1618.  Powhatan  died. 

1620.  Nov.  9.  The  May-Flower  arrived. 

"     Dec.  8.  First  skirmish  of  the  N.  England  settlers  with  the  natives. 
"     Dec.  22.  Their  landing  at  Plymouth. 

1621.  March  22.  Treaty  between  the  Plymouth  settlers  and  Massasoit. 

1622.  March  22.  Great  massacre  of  the  Virginia  settlers  by  the  Indians, 

set  on  by  Opechancanough  :  three  hundred  and  forty-seven  killed. 

1625.  Great  battle  with  the  Caribs  on  the  island  of  St.  Christopher ;  two 
thousand  of  that  nation  destroyed. 

1628.  Fire-arms  extensively  diffused  among  the  Indians  of  New  England, 
by  Dutch  traders  and  one  Thomas  Morton. 

1637.  The  Pequod  War  broke  out:  siege  of  the  English  garrison  at  Say- 
brook. 

"     June  5.  A  little  before  day  the  Pequod  fort  attacked  and  destroyed  j 
barbarous  destruction  of  women  and  children. 

1640.  Peace  concluded  between  the  Spanish  colonists  under  Francisco 
Zuniga,  and  the  Araucanians. 

1643.  Miantonimo  put  to  death  by  Uncas. 

1644.  Second  Virginia  massacre,  planned  by  Opechancanough. 


IMPORTANT  ERAS  AND  DATES.  759 

A.D. 

1653.  The  nation  of  the  Eries  exterminated  by  the  Iroquois. 
1662,  Philip,  or  Metacomet,  succeeded  his  brother  Alexander. 
1665.  Peace  again  concluded  between  the  Spaniards  and  Araucanians. 

1675.  June  24,  O.  S.  First  blood  shed  in  King  Philip's  war. 
Dec.  19.  Destruction  of  the  Narragansett  fort. 

1676.  Aug.  12.  Philip  killed  by  an  Indian  of  Captain  Church's  party. 
"     Aug.  Capture  of  Annawon,  by  Church,  and  end  of  the  war. 

1682.  Dec.  First  treaty  of  William  Penn  with  the  Dela wares. 
1688.  Invasion  of  Canada,  and  attack  on  Montreal  by  the  Iroquois. 

1710.  First  deputation  of  Iroquois  chiefs  to  the  court  of  Queen  Anne. 

1711.  Sept.  22.  Massacre  of  whites  in  North  Carolina  by  the  Tuscaroras. 
1713.  March  26.  The  Tuscarora  fort  on  Tar  river  destroyed  by  Colonel 

Moore  —  eight  hundred  prisoners  taken. 

"     Union  of  the  main  body  of  the  Tuscaroras  with  the  Iroquois. 
1729.  Nov.  30.  Massacre  of  the  French  inhabitants  of  Natchez,  by  the 

Natchez  Indians. 
1738.  Nearly  one  half  of  the  Cherokees  destroyed  by  the  small  pox. 

1749.  Singular  intrigues  of  the  Reverend  Thomas'Bosomworth  and  his 

wife,  the  half-breed,  Mary  Musgrove,  among  the  Creeks. 

1750.  Settlement  of  difficulties  between  Spanish  and  Portuguese  colonies 

on  the  river  La  Plata :  thirty  thousand  Guarani  Indians  expatriated. 
1755.  July  9.  Disastrous  defeat  of  General  Braddock,  by  the  French  and 
Indians,  a  few  miles  from  Fort  Duquesne. 

1759.  Winter.  War  between  the  Cherokees  and  the  British  colonists. 

1760.  Spring.  Colonel  Montgomery's  expedition  against  the  Cherokees: 

destruction  of  all  their  towns  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 

1761.  Spring.  Colonel  Grant's  campaign  against  the  Cherokees  :  their  re 

duction,  and  the  ravage  of  their  towns  in  the  interior. 
1763.  May.  Siege  of  Detroit  commenced  by  Pontiac. 
"     July  30.  Battle  of  Bloody  Bridge,  and  terrible  destruction  of  Eng 
lish  troops  under  Captain  Dalyell,  by  Pontiac  and  his  warriors. 

1773.  Peace  concluded  between  the  Spaniards  and  the  Araucanians. 

1774.  In  the  spring  of  this  year  commenced  the  bloody  war  in  Western 

Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  known  as  Cresap's  war. 
"     Oct.  10.  Great  battle  at  Point  Pleasant,  mouth  of  the  Kanawha. 

1777.  July.  Battle  of  Oriskany  ;  General  Herkimer  mortally  wounded. 

1778.  July  4.  Destruction  of  the  settlements  in  the  valley  of  Wyoming. 
"     Nov.  Massacre  at  Cherry  Valley. 

1779.  Sept.  General  Sullivan's  campaign  against  the  Iroquois  :  destruction 

of  all  their  towns,  crops,  fruit  trees,  and  stores. 

1780.  Aug.  Ravage  of  a  portion  of  the  Mohawk  valley,  by  Brant. 

1781.  Great  insurrection  of  the  Peruvian  Indians,  under  Tupac  Amaru. 
"     June.  Grand  council  of  war  held  by  the  western  tribes. 

"     Defeat  of  Colonels  Todd,  Trigg,  and  party,  near  the  Blue  Licks. 
"     Indian  towns  of  Chilicothe,  Pecaway,  &c.,  destroyed  by  Gen.  Clarke. 

1785.  Brant  visited  England,  and  was  received  with  flattering  attention. 

1786.  Dec.  Grand  Council  of  western  Indians  at  Huron  Village. 
1791.  Autumn.  Unsuccessful  expedition  of  General  Harmar. 

"     Nov.   4.  Disastrous  defeat  of  General  St.  Clair,  by  the  Indians, 

under  Little  Turtle,  near  the  Miami. 

1794.  Aug.  20.  Battle  of  Presqtie  Isle,   in  which  the  western  Indians, 
under  Blue  Jacket,  were  signally  defeated  by  General  Wayne. 


760  INDIAN  RACES   OF   AMERICA. 

A.  D. 

1804.  Elskwatawa,  the  prophet,  brother  of  Tecumseh,  engaged  in  intrigues 
among  the  tribes  of  the  west. 

1809.  Sept.  Cession  of  lands  on  the  Wabash,  obtained  by  General  Har 

rison  from  the  Indians. 

1810.  Departure  of  Tecumseh  southward,  for  the  purpose  of  rousing  up 

the  Creeks,  Cherokees,  &c. 

1811.  Night  of  Nov.  6.  Battle  at  the  Prophet's  Town,  in  which  Elskwa- 

tawa's  forces  were  defeated  and  dispersed  by  General  Harrison. 

1813.  Aug.  30.  Sack  of  Fort  Mimms,  in  the  Tensau  settlement,  by  the 

great  Creek  warrior  Weatherford,  with  fifteen  hundred  Indians. 
"     Oct.  5.  Battle  of  the   Thames  :  the  great  Indian  chief  Tecumseh 

killed. 
"     Nov.  29.  Battle  of  Autosse  ;  destruction  of  two  hundred  Indians 

by  General  Floyd's  forces,  aided  by  Indian  allies  led  by  M'Intosh. 

1814.  March  27.  Battle   of  Horse-shoe  Bend,  in   the  Tallapoosie:  the 

Creeks  and  other  southern  Indians  defeated  by  General  Jackson. 
1823.  Sept.  18.  Treaty  o*f  Moultrie    Creek,  by  which  the  Seminoles  were 

to  remove  within  certain  limits. 
1S29.  Dec.   20.  Acts  passed   by    the    Georgia  legislature,  annulling  the 

Cherokee  laws,  and  infringing  upon  the  rights  of  that  people. 

1830.  July.  Treaty  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  lowas, 

Sioux,  &c.,  concerning  cession  of  lands  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

1831.  June.  General  Games'  expedition  to  compel  removal  of  the  Sacs. 

1832.  May  8.  Treaty  of  Payne's   Landing,  by  the  provisions  of  which  the 

Seminoles  were  to  remove  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
"     May  14.  Defeat  of  Major  Stillman  and  his  forces,  by  Black  Hawk. 
"     Aug.  2.  Black-Hawk's  forces  defeated  by  General  Atkinson. 
"       "      27.  Surrender  of  Black -Hawk  and  the  Prophet. 

1835.  Oct.  The  Florida  war  commenced. 

"  Dec.  Treaty  of  New  Echota  with  the  Cherokees,  (known  as  Scher- 
merhorn's  treaty)  upon  the  subject  of  removal  of  that  nation 
west  of  the  Mississippi. 

"     Dec.  28.  Destruction  of  Dade's  detachment,  by  the  Seminoles. 

1836.  March  14.   Schermerhorn's    treaty  with  the  Cherokees  ratified  by 

Congress. 
"     Spring.  General  Scott's  campaign  in  Florida. 

1837.  Jan.  22.  General  Jessup  moved  southward  towards  the  everglades 

in  pursuit  of  the  Seminoles. 

1838.  Oct.  3.  Black-Hawk  died,  at  the  age  of  73. 

1842.  The  Florida  war  at  an   end :  several  hundred  Indians  transported 

west  of  the  Mississippi, 
1850.  Hostilities  renewed  with  the  remaining  Seminoles,  under  Billy 

Bowlegs,  in  Florida. 
1850.  War  with  the  Oregon  Indians. 

"      Peace  concluded.     Treaties  made  with  the  various  tribes. 

1857.  Annihilation  of  Indians  through  U.  S.  troops  under  Gen.  Harney. 
"     Massacre  of  settlers  in  Minnesota. 

1858.  Billy  Bowlegs  and  thirty  Warriors,  give  themselves  up  to  the  U. 

States,  and  agree  to  settle  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
"     Renewal  of  hostilities  with  the  Oregon  Indians. 

5o  >  Sioux  Massacre  in  Minnesota. 
1863. 


1 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


